Chamber and committees

Since 2018, FSS investigations into food fraud have resulted in varying penalties being imposed including imprisonment and fines. One sentence of 4 years imprisonment was imposed with the sentence reduced to three years on appeal. in relation to the supply of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) to the public. The sentence was reduced to three years on appeal. A proceeds of Crime Confiscation Order was imposed for £31050.

3 offences under the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 at Food Standards Scotland (FSS) approved premises and fined a total of £4,000 with £175 surcharge.

FSS is a non ministerial office and is therefore directly accountable to Parliament and not to Ministers. FSS oversight - and any assessment of effectiveness -is provided by a non executive board. FSS published an Annual Report and Accounts to Parliament and a Joint Annual Report with Food Standards Agency on Food Safety in the UK. There is regular liaison between Ministers, FSS officials and the FSS chair and the Minister for Public Health and Sport and the FSS CEO have regular meetings to ensure Ministers are kept appraised of FSS activity. Parliament also has the ability to call FSS officials to give evidence with regards to FSS effectiveness.

Food Safety is regulated through various pieces of legislation including the Food Safety Act 1990 and assimilated Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 on general food law, which create the regulatory framework in this respect.

In relation to public events, the Food Standards Scotland website provides specific advice on Food Safety at Community Events where those providing foods on an occasional basis may not be registered food businesses.

The following table provides the detail of Local Authority enforcement actions that have resulted in business closure. The data relates to the use of Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notices, Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Orders and Voluntary Closures.

Deer numbers in forested or woodland environments are very difficult to estimate due to dense cover and the mobile nature of deer.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is the executive agency which manages Scotland’s national forests and land. The majority of deer management on land owned by the Scottish Government is undertaken by FLS. Alongside land owned by the Scottish Government, public bodies also manage deer on public land they are responsible for. This includes NatureScot and Scottish Water. Further detail on the deer management activities of these organisations is as follows.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS)

FLS estimate Scotland’s National Forests and Land’s (SNFL), deer population to be around 130,000 deer. This estimate is based on culling data. The break-down by species is as follows:

All deer culled on Scottish Government land are culled by shooting, which is undertaken by appropriately trained staff to ensure the highest standards of public safety and deer welfare and who adhere to the code of practice set by the Wild Deer Best Practice group.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is the executive agency which manages Scotland’s national forests and land. The majority of deer management on land owned by the Scottish Government is undertaken by FLS. Alongside land owned by the Scottish Government, public bodies also manage deer on public land they are responsible for. This includes NatureScot and Scottish Water. Further detail on the revenue these organisations have received from deer management activities is as follows.

Forestry and Land Scotland

FLS income from deer carcasses, the associated bye-products and fees from leases/permissions for recreational stalking, has amounted to:

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is the executive agency which manages Scotland’s national forests and land. The majority of deer management on land owned by the Scottish Government is undertaken by FLS. Alongside land owned by the Scottish Government, public bodies also manage deer on public land they are responsible for. This includes NatureScot and Scottish Water. Further detail on the deer management activities of these organisations is set as follows.

Forestry and Land Scotland

The number of deer culled on Scotland’s National Forests and Land (SNFL) 640,000 hectares in each of the last five complete culling seasons is as follows:-

The only other equipment that has been purchased in the last five years for use in net zero messaging has been a refurbished iPad, which was purchased in financial year 2023-24 at a cost of £500.

The primary reasons for the deer management activities on Scottish government-owned land is as follows.

Forestry and Land Scotland

FLS culls deer primarily in order to protect, enhance and restore a wide range of woodland across the 640,000 hectares of public forests and land which it manages which can be damaged by deer overgrazing and trampling vulnerable habitats, preventing young trees from growing. The proportion of the cull carried out for ‘environmental protection’ purposes is 96%-100%. FLS also cull deer to protect grazings and crops as and when required. The proportion of the cull carried out for agricultural purposes is 0%-4%. They do not carry out culling for population control purposes.

NatureScot

The primary reason for deer culling on NatureScot-owned land is environmental protection. This information is not broken down proportionally.

Scottish Water  

The primary reasons for deer culling on Scottish Water land include for population control, environmental protection and agricultural purposes. This information is not broken down proportionately.