70.Section 45 provides for the Scottish Ministers to give “Temporary Stop Notices” (TSNs) where they have reason to believe that unauthorised felling is being carried out. Subsection (3) sets out matters that a TSN must contain and subsection (4) allows for TSNs to impose conditions. Subsection (5) allows for TSNs to be varied or revoked. Subsection (6) and (7) detail how TSNs are served. Subsections (8) and (9) detail when TSNs have effect, including limiting them to a maximum of 28 days. Subsection (10) provides that a person may stop any activity specified in the TSN despite any provision in any agreement relating to the trees or the land to which the notice relates. Subsection (11) provides the Scottish Ministers with the power to enter land to which the TSN relates in order to monitor compliance and subsection (12) ensures that felling permissions or felling or restocking direction cannot be given while a TSN is in place.
71.Section 46 creates an offence, punishable upon summary conviction by a fine of up to level 5 on the standard scale, of failure, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a TSN.
72.Under section 47, a person who suffers loss as a result of a TSN served where felling was, in fact, authorised is entitled to compensation in accordance with provisions made in regulations by the Scottish Ministers. Section 47(3) provides that regulations may include provision about the procedure for applying, information to be provided in applications, the way in which the amount of compensation is to be determined, the way in which any disputes about compensation are to be determined, and appeals about decisions relating to compensation. Section 76(1)(g) provides that regulations under section 47(3) are subject to negative procedure.