Current status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether an (a) Equality Impact Assessment and (b) Economic Impact Assessment has been carried out for the bird gathering general licence, and, if so, whether it has been made public.
The Scottish Bird Gathering General Licence is applied in accordance with Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/263 article 4(4) and 6(2), and with article 4 of The Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (Scotland) Order 2007 and is therefore subject to a Risk Assessment carried out by the Animal and Plan Health Agency (APHA). As such, there is no legal requirement to carry an Equality Impact Assessment, or Economic Impact Assessment, on the impacts of the licence.
The licence measures are designed to regulate the gathering of birds in Scotland to ensure that such events do not significantly increase the risk of the transmission of the avian influenza virus.
Furthermore, the risk-based nature of the measures applied in the general licence means that the licence is amended on a regular basis to meet the varying risk of incursion from avian influenza, and so any equality or economic impact assessment undertaken would be temporary in its conclusions. The most recent risk assessment on which this licence is based is published on GOV.SCOT.
It is recognised that failure to control and eradicate avian influenza in Scotland could have the most profound economic impact on the poultry, game and bird show sectors. It is important to note that Scottish Bird Gathering licensable activities and requirements can differ from those applied in England and Wales (as is currently the case) and keepers are always advised to make themselves familiar with the relevant licensing measures.