Chamber and committees

Midlothian Council is participating in the response to the recent pollution of the River Esk along with other public bodies that have responsibility for its clean up. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is leading this work in conjunction with Scottish Water and the Coal Authority.

A number of specific activities are already in train. Scottish Water is working with SEPA to investigate and resolve the impacts of intermittent sewage discharges from the public sewer network on the River Esk. In addition, the Coal Authority and SEPA are working in partnership to manage mine water impacts from Bilston Glen Colliery. The Coal Authority is working to implement a £1m temporary solution to treat the mine water discharge at Dalkeith that aims to be operating by 2021. The Coal Authority is also progressing work towards permanent mine water treatment scheme with a timescale of 2-3 years.

The Scottish Government has not been approached by Midlothian Council in relation to financial support.

Scottish Government received a total of 5 applications to the Aquaculture Hardship Fund from trout businesses which were subsequently refused. All of these applicants are producers of trout for the recreational sector.

Hardship payments made under this scheme are granted in accordance with the European Commission’s Temporary Framework. This Framework excludes trout producers for the recreational sector from receiving direct support. The applications were consequently refused on this basis.

Due to GPDR, we cannot issue information which could be used to identify individuals.

Outdoor activities, including rehearsals and seated live events, are allowed to re-commence from 24 August in accordance with physical distancing and hygiene guidance for events – available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-events-sector-guidance/ - and for performing arts, available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-performing-arts-and-venues-sector/ . Professional band players only may now rehearse indoors following the performing arts guidance. There is an indicative date of 14 September for indoor performances to recommence and this, along with the continuing restrictions on non-professional playing indoors, will be reviewed next on 10 September.

The decisions announced on 20 August as part of updates to Phase 3 of the route map allow such outdoor activities to re-commence from 24 August.

The Scottish Government is a member of the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), a multi-agency group chaired by Police Scotland which is committed to tackling crime in Scotland's rural communities. SPARC's Rural Crime Strategy 2019-2022 sets out seven key operational priorities, including theft of livestock, with associated action plans which include indicators of success and timescales. SPARC works closely with rural communities to build awareness of rural crime, and to promote action.

Initiatives in relation to livestock theft include:

• Raising awareness of livestock theft and prevention methods via the Rural Watch Alert scheme. This scheme continues to expand with significant increases in those now participating. This allows key messaging by a variety of partner agencies and specialised policing departments ensuring relevant and targeted messages can be conveyed to rural communities including those relating to theft of livestock.
• Active promotion of the Tec Tracer theft deterrent system which involves ingraining thousands of coded microdot markers into the fleece or hair of livestock. The system identifies the animal and which farm it comes from thus incriminating the thieves if such animals are found at random checks or as part of an investigation. The forensic codes are virtually impossible to remove but are easy to recover and read by the police. This system along with strategic signage around farms highlighting its use has been found to be an effective deterrent on farms which have previously suffered thefts of livestock and its use will continue to be promoted with partner organisations.
• Press engagement (TV, radio and written) highlighting the above initiatives and farming organisations promoting it to their members and others.
• Development of intelligence gathering and information sharing capacity across relevant rural enforcement authorities including the Scottish Government.
• SPARC will continue to develop action plans in relation to livestock theft in accordance with the national rural crime strategy.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of livestock rustling incidents.

The Scottish Government collects data on the numbers of crimes and offences recorded by the police, and prosecutions and convictions. This information is published in the Recorded Crime and Criminal Proceedings National Statistics bulletins, respectively. We don't receive further details on the specifics of these crimes, such as type of item stolen, therefore we are unable to identify how many thefts involve livestock.

Scottish Government officials held discussions with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association on 29 July and 6 August. Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director, along with other Scottish Government officials held discussions with a representative of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) on 29 July 2020 and officials met with that representative again on 6th August 2020.

Police Scotland has a dedicated Rural Crime team, and chairs the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), a multi-agency group committed to tackling crime in Scotland's rural communities. The SPARC Rural Crime Strategy 2019-2022 sets out the Partnership’s seven key operational priorities which include livestock offences. The Scottish Government is represented on SPARC by officials from the Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Economy and Directorate for Safer Communities. It is important that farm businesses report crimes to Police Scotland immediately. Farm businesses can seek advice from a range of sources including industry bodies and SPARC and need to ensure they are adequately insured against losses should they occur.

The Scottish Government is a member of the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), a multi-agency group chaired by Police Scotland which is committed to tackling crime in Scotland's rural communities. SPARC's Rural Crime Strategy 2019-2022 sets out seven key operational priorities, with associated action plans which include indicators of success and timescales. SPARC works closely with rural communities to build awareness of rural crime, and to promote action.

Specific initiatives which have been taken forward through SPARC this year include:

• The development of a partnership involving Police Scotland Dumfries and Galloway and Lothian and Borders policing divisions with Northumbria, Cumbria and County Durham Constabularies to target transient criminals located in the North East of England involved in rural crime in both Scotland and England;
• Designing a model at the location of Whitelee Windfarm to prevent and tackle rural crime in areas of forestry on which windfarms are present, working alongside Forestry and Land Scotland, and Scottish Power; and
• Ongoing work with Police Scotland's Air Support Unit to explore prevention initiatives through the high profile overt use of the drone equipment.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the NFU Mutual’s report, and its contribution to our understanding of rural crime. The Scottish Government are members of the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), chaired by Police Scotland, which has set out seven key operational priorities within its Rural Crime Strategy 2019-22.

The NFU report suggested a 44.1% increase in the cost of rural crime in 2019 based on claims made to NFU Mutual. This is a different measure to the volume of crime committed within Scotland's rural areas. The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey, which includes crimes not reported to the police, shows that the proportion of adults in rural areas who were a victim of crime is lower than in urban areas and has fallen from 13.0% in 2008/09 to 7.2% by 2018-19. Whilst this is encouraging, it does not detract from the seriousness of those cases that do occur, including those against businesses (which are not covered by the survey).

The Scottish Government collects data on the numbers of crimes and offences recorded by the police, and prosecutions and convictions. This is published in the Recorded Crime and Criminal Proceedings National Statistics, respectively. We don't receive further details on the specifics of these crimes, so are unable to identify which cases took place in a rural setting.