For those of us who had hoped to see the full commencement of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 in the near future, prepare to be disappointed.
Last Thursday (10th November), the following took place in the Scottish Parliament:
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 will be commenced in full.
Stewart Stevenson (Environment Minister): It is planned that all of the provisions of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 will be in force in January 2013.
Some of the new provisions created by the Act are already in place (e.g. muirburn season) and we now know that some of the snaring legislation will commence in January 2012 (see the link below to parliamentary questions and answers). However, it is not yet clear whether the new provision of vicarious liability will be introduced prior to January 2013, but given the above statement by Stewart Stevenson, there is now a nice little get-out clause for it to be delayed for over a year if neccessary.
Once again we can thank Elaine Murray MSP for raising pertinent questions. Her later questions (see link below) are also well worth a read, as she tackles the issue of whether the organisations providing training courses for snare operators are actually accredited to do so.
Read the parliamentary questions and answers here
Read the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 here
Raptor Persecution UK 