Chamber and committees

Special protection is afforded by the Act to animals listed on Schedules 5 as set out in Sections 9(1), 9(2), 9(4), and 9(5) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This includes intentionally or recklessly killing, injuring, or taking any animal on Schedule 5.

The available information is given in the following table.

Persons Prosecuted in Scottish Courts for Poaching¹ by Result, 2004-05 to 2008-09

Main Result of Proceedings	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Charge Not Proved	0	4	0	0	1
Charge Proved	5	2	3	8	2
Total	5	6	3	8	3

Note: Where main offence. The offences for poaching were brought under the following acts: Poaching Prevention Act 1862 section 2; Game (Scotland) Act 1832 section 1; Night Poaching Act 1828 section 1; Game (Scotland) Act 1832 section 1; Game (Scotland) Act 1772 section 3; Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 section 17(1) & 23(1).

The following table lists the number of full-time police and civilian wildlife crime officers (WCO) employed in each police force. All forces have voluntary coordinators and voluntary WCO.

Police Force	Police Officer WCO	Civilian WCO
Central	1
Dumfries and Galloway
Fife	1
Grampian	1
Lothian and Borders	1
Northern
Strathclyde		1
Tayside		1
Total	4	2

 

The new seal licence system to be introduced under the provisions of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 is based on applications received from fisheries or fish farms. Such applications may be submitted either by individual fisheries or fish farms or by a group. It is therefore not possible at this early stage to anticipate how many applications are likely to be received and require processing.

The Scottish Government acknowledges that there are discrepancies between the single document and the specification, but European law makes clear that it is the specification that defines the terms of the PGI. It was always the intention of the applicant group that the early stages of production could take place outside the designated geographical area and that the saltwater stages of production are to be within it, and the specification reflects this.

We would welcome industry efforts to address the discrepancies between the single document and the specification.

The Scottish Government has to date produced 15,000 copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Equidae at an approximate cost of £14,500.

The Scottish Government has to date produced 10,000 copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats at an approximate cost of £7,500.

The Scottish Executive has no plans to produce publicity material to promote the production of the Codes of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs, Cats and Equidae; however, copies of the Codes were sent to relevant animal welfare organisations, including the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who promote them and issue them to the public. Copies of the codes have also been sent to local authorities, veterinary practices, various members of the public and, in the case of equidae, to riding schools, pony clubs and livery yards. The codes are also available for download on the Scottish Government website.

The Scottish Government has to date produced 10,000 copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs at an approximate cost of £7,500.

The amended PGI, as approved by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1195/2008, is valid and applies to both organic and non-organic salmon.