Question reference: S6W-16749
- Date lodged: 12 April 2023
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is now on the legal advice that it received in 2017, on which the decision of the then Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform not to extend powers to the Scottish SPCA for investigating wildlife crimes was based.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not routinely publish or discuss legal advice received.
During the Parliamentary passage of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020, the Scottish Government committed to establishing a taskforce to look again at the arguments for and against extending wildlife crime investigation powers to the Scottish SPCA. This commitment was re-affirmed in both the 2021-22 Programme for Government and in the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme.