- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 8 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a person commits an offence if he sets a snare that captures an animal listed in Schedule 3 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c) Regulations 1994, as amended by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007, for example a mountain hare, pine marten or polecat.
Answer
In the view of the Scottish Government it is an offence to use a snare to kill or capture an animal listed in Schedule 3 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994, unless this is carried out under licence.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 8 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a person commits an offence if he sets a snare that captures an animal listed in Schedule 2 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Regulations 1994, as amended by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007, for example a wildcat or common otter.
Answer
It is an offence recklessly or intentionally to kill or capture an animal listed on Schedule 2 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Regulations 1994. Intentional killing or capture of a animal listed on Schedule 2 may be carried out under licence.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it gives to sporting estate owners seeking to control mountain hares about a long-term strategy to control louping ill.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that it is highly unlikely that louping ill can be completely eradicated. However, a ministerial working group with representation from a wide range of key stakeholder interests, has been set up to look at ways of controlling ticks and the problems which they can create which include the spread of louping ill. The group will assess the scale of the problem and consider possible solutions.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given the unselective nature of snares, it considers that Scottish wildcats are at risk of being caught in such traps.
Answer
Good field craft should minimise the risk of any accidental capture of Scottish wildcats. Should any Scottish wildcat be accidentally caught in a legally compliant snare operated in accordance with industry best practice guidelines, the land manager should be able to release the captured animal unharmed.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it requires sporting estate owners seeking to control mountain hares to have a long-term strategy to control louping ill.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not require sporting estates to have a long-term strategy to control louping ill in mountain hares.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many mountain hares were legally taken or killed by snaring in 2006 and 2007.
Answer
Licences to snare mountain hares were issued in 2006 and 2007 with a total bag limit of 90
We do not hold comprehensive figures for mountain hares killed by snaring in 2006 and 2007. However, the recently published report from Scottish Natural Heritage The distribution of Mountain Hare (Lepus Timidus) in Scotland (2006-2007) estimated that 5,078 mountain hares were killed by snaring between January 2006 and February 2007. Scottish ministers take the view that the snaring of mountain hares is an offence unless it is done under the terms of a licence. This view has not however been tested in the courts.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned or will commission any independent research into the capture of non-target species, including protected species, by snares, as recommended in 2005 in the Report of the Independent Working Group on Snares.
Answer
The Report of the Independent Working Group on Snares was commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). In response to the recommendations in the working group''s report, Defra has commissioned research into the use of snares and into their humaneness, including the effects on non-target species. Scottish ministers will read any report on the research findings with interest with a view to considering whether they have any application in relation to the use of snares in Scotland.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received from Scottish Natural Heritage about large-scale culling of mountain hares.
Answer
The recently published document by Scottish Natural Heritage called The distribution of Mountain Hare (Lepus Timidus) in Scotland (2006-2007) considered, amongst other issues, the implications of large scale culling of mountain hares. The Scottish Government also seeks advice from Scottish Natural Heritage on a case by case basis when a licence is sought to take mountain hares.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will pass on Her Majesty’s Government’s Fuel Duty Rebate to bus operators in Scotland.
Answer
The decision by the Department for Transport to uprate Bus Service Operators Grant in line with the fuel duty rise does not affect the amount of money coming to Scotland. As such, no extra money was made available by the UK Government in relation to Bus Service Operators Grant.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 30 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average rent rise will be for housing association tenants in Edinburgh as a result of reductions in support for housing associations.
Answer
Recent proposals for change to the standard assumptions and allowances used when calculating subsidy reflect the actual performance reported by associations, which includes only those rent increases that housing associations themselves are projecting. Rent levels are a matter for individual associations to agree in consultation with their tenants.
