(1)Before the end of the period of 5 years beginning with the day after this section comes into force, the Scottish Ministers must publish and lay before the Scottish Parliament a report setting out—
(a)an assessment of the steps that have been taken to ensure information sharing in relation to persons to whom subsection (3) applies, and
(b)the steps the Scottish Ministers are taking to further progress such information sharing.
(2)A report under subsection (1) may include such other information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.
(3)This subsection applies to a person who has, in relation to an offence listed in subsection (4), been—
(a)issued with a fixed penalty notice, or
(b)convicted and whose sentence includes—
(i)a fine,
(ii)a period of imprisonment,
(iii)a disqualification order (within the meaning given in section 40 of the 2006 Act), or
(iv)a community payback order (within the meaning given in section 227A of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010).
(4)The offences and convictions are offences and convictions under—
(a)the Animal Health Act 1981,
(b)the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981,
(c)the Protection of Badgers Act 1992,
(d)the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 1994,
(e)the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996,
(f)the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996,
(g)the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002,
(h)the 2006 Act,
[F1(i)the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023.]
(5)In preparing the report, the Scottish Ministers may consult such persons as they consider appropriate.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 17(4)(i) inserted (3.10.2023) by Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 (asp 1), ss. 28(2), 31(2) (with ss. 29, 30); S.S.I. 2023/262, reg. 2