Fixed penalties proposed for some animal health offences

Fixed penalty notices for less serious animal health offences are among proposals to revise the enforcement regime contained in a new Scottish Government consultation.

Ministers are seeking "more effective and proportionate enforcement provisions", and are asking for views on how to strengthen the current animal health legislation, which dates from 1981, to achieve this.

New powers for fixed penalty notices would, the paper predicts:

• allow minor and technical offences to be dealt with quickly and proportionately;
• promote compliance with legislative requirements; and
• reduce the number of lesser offences being dealt with by courts.

It invites expert views from stakeholders and enforcement agencies about how such arrangements could work in practice, with practical examples and suggestions.

The Government is also seeking views on the effectiveness of the existing provisions within the Act and whether there are any gaps that could help to improve animal health standards, both to help prevent an incursion of animal disease and to control and eradicate disease.

The paper adds: "This marks the start of our review of the Act and there will be further opportunities in future for stakeholders and individuals to provide their views throughout the process."

Click here to access the paper. Views are invited by 23 December 2019.