Question reference: S5W-34789
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
- Date lodged: 27 January 2021
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Current status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 3 February 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the impact of antisocial noise on people during the COVID-19 lockdown, and what its position is on whether local authorities’ monitoring and enforcement regimes are appropriate for these circumstances.
Answer
Everyone has the right to feel safe and it is unacceptable for people to be afraid to go about their day-to-day business. In Scotland we already have some of the most comprehensive antisocial noise nuisance arrangements in the UK, if not Europe. We were one of the first countries in the world to introduce intervention levels for day, evening and night time domestic noise.
Responsibility for investigating and dealing with the vast majority of complaints about noise and nuisance rests with Local Authorities. They, along with Police Scotland, are able to take a range of actions in response to antisocial behaviour, including noise nuisance, under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 and the Statutory Nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which were updated by the Public Health Act 2008.
The unprecedented need for restrictions to tackle the spread of COVID-19 since March 2020 has been challenging for law enforcement and those on the front line keeping our communities safe. Any antisocial behaviour complaints should continue to be reported to local authorities and Police Scotland who will carry out investigative action as they consider appropriate.