Reporting of offences and review of legislation 4 Annual reports by Scottish Ministers 15 (1) The Scottish Ministers must, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each reporting period— (a) prepare and publish a report on the operation of this Act, and (b) lay the report before the Scottish Parliament. (2) The report must include— 20 (a) the number of reports received during the reporting year by the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland of a dog being taken or kept in the circumstances mentioned in section 1(1), (b) the number of reports where it was assessed by the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland that— 25 (i) no offence was committed because section 1(2) applied, or (ii) a defence specified in sections 1(3) or 1(4) applied, (c) the number of persons charged by the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland with an offence under section 1 of this Act, (d) the number of cases for which criminal proceedings are undertaken where an 30 offence under section 1 of this Act was charged, (e) the number of convictions obtained for an offence under section 1 of this Act, (f) the number of cases and convictions mentioned at paragraphs (d) and (e) where criminal proceedings were undertaken or convictions obtained (as the case may be) under— 35 (i) summary procedure, and (ii) solemn procedure, (g) the nature of each sentence imposed after conviction for an offence under section 1 of this Act, including— (i) whether an aggravation applied, 4 Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill (ii) length of sentence, and (iii) level of fine, and (h) the information mentioned at paragraphs (c) to (f) where the charge, criminal proceedings, conviction or sentence (as the case may be) related to a common 5 law offence of theft, where the property taken or kept was a dog. (3) The report may include such other information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate. (4) A relevant person holding information mentioned in subsection (2) must provide that information to Scottish Ministers— 10 (a) in such form and manner as the Scottish Ministers may require, and 1 (b) by such time as the Scottish Ministers may require. (5) The relevant persons mentioned in subsection (4) are— (a) the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, (b) the Lord Advocate, and 15 (c) the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland. (6) In this section, “reporting period” is the period of 1 year beginning with the day on which this section comes into force and each subsequent period of 1 year. 5 Review of operation of the Act (1) The Scottish Ministers must, as soon as reasonably practicable (and no later than 6 20 months) after the end of the review period— (a) undertake a review of the operation of this Act, and (b) prepare a report on that review. (2) The report must, in particular, set out— (a) the extent to which the Act has been successful in reducing the occurrence of the 25 theft of dogs, (b) the number of cases of theft of dogs— (i) prosecuted under this Act, and (ii) prosecuted as a common law offence of theft, (c) any concerns with the operation of the Act which have been raised, 30 (d) the Scottish Ministers’ response to any such concerns, including any recommendations in relation to changes to any enactment, including this Act, (e) whether the Scottish Ministers consider that— (i) there should be a statutory offence or offences of the theft of any other type of animal normally kept as a pet, and 35 (ii) such offence or offences should specify the type of animal protected or apply generally to other types of animals normally kept as pets. (3) In undertaking the review and preparing the report, the Scottish Ministers must— (a) take into account annual reports published by them under section 4(1)(a) during the review period, 5 Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill (b) consult any persons or organisations they consider appropriate, and (c) in relation to the matter mentioned at subsection (2)(e), consult publicly. (4) The Scottish Ministers must, as soon as reasonably practicable after preparing the report— 5 (a) publish the report, and (b) lay the report before the Scottish Parliament. (5) In this section, the “review period” is the period of 5 years beginning with the day on which section 1 of this Act comes into force.