New, updated legislation – being taken forward by South Scotland SNP MSP Emma Harper – which seeks to address the increasing levels of livestock attacks across Scotland has been unanimously voted through a Stage 1 debate in the Scottish Parliament with members from all political parties supporting the Bill’s general principles.
The Bill will go to a Stage 2 debate on Wednesday 24 February and is expected to reach the final stage of proceedings in March. Ms Harper has now written to all party rural affairs spokespeople setting out how she intends to move forward and offering them a meeting with her ahead of Stage 2.
The Member’s Bill – which has the backing of Scottish farmers and their representative bodies, outdoor access interest groups and dog walkers alike – will provide additional powers for the investigation and enforcement of the offence of livestock worrying and will increase the maximum penalties available to the courts. The Bill also extends the definition of “livestock” to include additional types of farmed animal such as llamas, deer, and buffalo.
In Holyrood’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee report on the Bill, the committee indicted its support for its general principles, subject to Ms Harper working with the Scottish Government on areas of potential change and clarity. Ms Harper has since met with the Government’s Rural Affairs Minister and has agreed to a number of amendments which will be made to the Bill at Stage 2 to reflect the recommendations made by the Committee and Government.
These include amending the Bill to include an affirmative procedure for regulations regarding the definition of livestock,
an amendment to increase the maximum available penalty to 12 months imprisonment or a fine of £40,000, or both, which will be taken forward by the Scottish Government and an amendment to remove provisions authorising inspecting bodies other than the police to carry out investigation. Finally, Ms Harper agreed to an amendment to remove the power for entry to non-domestic premises without a warrant.
Ms Harper has said that she is now confident, after making the changes suggested by the Committee and Government, that it is a Bill the Parliament can now get behind to improve and strengthen the law to ensure protection against attacks on livestock for Scotland’s hard-working farmers, shepherds and agricultural community.
Commenting, Ms Harper said:
“I’m delighted my Protection of Livestock (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill has received support from members across all political parties as well as unanimous backing from Scotland’s leading agricultural, animal welfare and outdoor access bodies. It received over 800 responses to the consultation from farmers, dog owners and those involved with the agricultural community who agreed that the current legislation is outdated and who were supportive of the principles of the Bill.
“The Bill will provide the Police and legal bodies with additional powers which are designed to better investigate and enforce the offence of livestock worrying, it extends the legal definition of livestock and strengthens the penalties for those who carry out the offence.
“Following the report by the Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee and after meeting with the Minister, I have agreed to a number of amendments to the Bill which will be taken forward at Stage 2 at the end of February. These include a technical amendment to include an affirmative procedure for regulations regarding the definition of livestock, increasing the maximum available penalty to 12 months imprisonment or a fine of £40 thousand, or both, which will be taken forward by the Scottish Government, removing provisions authorising inspecting bodies other than the police to carry out investigation, and finally, removing the power for entry to non-domestic premises without a warrant.
“I am pleased to have got to this stage and with my commitment to take these amendments to the Bill forward I will reach Stage 2 proceedings in a few week’s time and closer to the point of the Bill becoming law in Scotland. I thank all who have been involved with the Bill so far.”
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