Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of prosecutions for livestock theft.

The Criminal Proceedings in Scotland database does not contain details on the type of item(s) stolen, therefore we are unable to identify how many thefts involve livestock.

The Scottish Land Matching Service (SLMS) launched at the end of September 2019. During the period 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020, Scottish Government provided £55,480 of funding. For the second year between 1 October 2020 and 30 September 2021, Scottish Government expenditure was £54,785. So far £31,958 has been spent in the seven months from 1 October 2021 to 30 April 2022.

The SLMS has dealt with over 300 enquiries and has helped achieve 19 contractual agreements since its introduction.

We have continued to monitor and engage with industry. We are aware that the sector is still under unprecedented pressure due to the backlog of pigs and the shortages in skilled labour, compounded by the more recent situation with Ukraine and increased input and energy prices. Given this, I can advise that we have made the decision to further extend the Pig Producers Hardship scheme and the sector will now have an additional £410,000 of support made available, this will bring the scheme total to just over £1.8 million. The scheme extension announcement was made on 9 May.

In the five financial years from 2017-18 to 2021-22, the Scottish Government provided a total of £330,500 in grant funding to the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) for the purposes of their programme of school farm visits and associated educational resources for schools.

These grants are applied for and awarded on an annual basis. It is therefore not possible at this time to estimate accurately how much might be provided in funding over the next five financial years.

Conduct amounting to ‘arson’ under Scots criminal law would be prosecuted under the criminal offences of wilful fire raising and culpable and reckless fire raising. As these are common law offences, the courts in Scotland have the ability to impose a wide range of sentences, up to and including life imprisonment.

As with all sentencing decisions, the level of sentence to issue in any given case is rightly a matter for the independent court, having regard to the individual facts and circumstances of each case and any factors the court may deem to be aggravating in nature. The Scottish Government supports courts having these wide-ranging powers in dealing with conduct amounting to arson.

The independent Scottish Sentencing Council also play a valuable role in guiding the court as to the core principles of sentencing and what sentences should be imposed in certain circumstances through the development of sentencing guidelines.

The maximum amount of aid a farmer, crofter or agricultural contractor can receive is £20,000. Only one application and claim is allowed per business/Business Reference Number (BRN) per funding round. Grant awards will be based on 40% of the standard cost of each eligible scheme item. Businesses located in the Highlands and Islands (HIE area) will receive a higher grant rate of 50% (in acknowledgement of the higher cost involved with transporting goods to these areas). The standard cost and minimum specification for each item detailed in the scheme guidance is the maximum fixed price that the grant payment will be based on and there is no minimum amount specified.

As stated in our 2021 Manifesto, work on crofting law reform will be undertaken during this parliamentary term.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05896 on 7 February 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

All farmed fish, including cleaner fish, are protected by the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, which places a duty on fish farms to ensure their needs are met. Fish farms must keep mortality and veterinary records by law and these are inspected by the Scottish Government’s Fish Health Inspectorate. Significant cases of poor welfare observed during inspection are reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

The Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), receives public funding and supports research on the health and welfare of cleaner fish, and how their natural environment and behaviours can be encouraged on fish farms.

The Farmed Fish Health Framework Steering Group, which includes fish vets, regulators, the sector, and Scottish Government and which is chaired by the Scottish Government Chief Veterinary Officer, provides the appropriate forum within which future policy relating to the health and welfare of farmed fish will be developed.

Licensing authorities must determine their own fees and fee structures to recover establishment and running costs specific to their area. Licensing authorities must review their fees from time to time to ensure that revenue from fees remains in line with the running costs of the licensing scheme.