Bovine tuberculosis compensation arrangements: consultation

Part 1 – About This Consultation

Topic of this consultation

This consultation sets out a number of proposals to update the Tuberculosis (Scotland) Order 2007 and also seeks views on a specific proposal to introduce changes to the requirements for post movement testing and the way we pay compensation for those cattle keepers who have broken the rules. It further proposes the introduction of a cap on all individual compensation payments.

Scope of this consultation

This consultation covers the payment of reduced or no compensation in circumstances where it is considered both appropriate and proportionate to do so. This will include situations where the provisions of the Tuberculosis (Scotland) Order 2007 have been breached resulting in either illegal cattle moves or overdue testing.

It also proposes a change to the requirements for post movement testing and the introduction of a cap on compensation payments similar to that already in place elsewhere in the UK.

Geographical extent

Animal Health & Welfare is a devolved matter and this consultation and the proposals contained therein apply to Scotland only. Bovine TB is legislated upon separately in other parts of the UK and the appropriate administration should be approached if further information is required on TB Controls in that country.

Business and regulatory impact assessment

If legislative powers are introduced which would allow us to reduce compensation in certain situations for cattle statutorily slaughtered under TB controls, there may be financial implications for affected keepers. This consultation seeks views on this particular point to help inform development of the regulatory impact assessment should any change to the legislation be made.

Audience

Anyone may reply to this consultation. The Scottish Government would particularly like to hear from: cattle/livestock keepers; cattle/livestock associations; veterinary surgeons/associations; agricultural markets and valuers; and anyone else with an interest in bovine TB eradication and control in Scotland.

Body responsible for this consultation

The Scottish Government's Animal Health & Welfare Division, Disease Control Team is responsible for this consultation.

Duration

This consultation runs from 7 September 2017 to 30 November 2017, a period of 12 weeks.

How to make an enquiry

If you have any queries about this consultation please contact the Scottish Government Animal Health & Welfare Disease Control Team (Telephone 0300-244-9874) or email: Animal.health@gov.scot

The Scottish Government Consultation Process

Consultation is an essential and important aspect of Scottish Government policy making process. Given the wide-ranging areas of work of the Scottish Government, there are many varied types of consultation. However, in general, Scottish Government consultation exercises aim to provide opportunities for all those who wish to express their opinions on a proposed area of work to do so in ways which will inform and enhance that work.

You can find all our consultations online: http://consult.scotland.gov.uk. Each consultation details the issues under consideration, as well as a way for you to give us your views, either online, by email or by post.

Consultations may involve seeking views in a number of different ways, such as public meetings, focus groups, or other online methods such as Dialogue ( https://www.ideas.gov.scot)

Responses will be analysed and used as part of the decision making process, along with a range of other available information and evidence. We will publish a report of this analysis for every consultation. Depending on the nature of the consultation exercise the responses received may:

• indicate the need for policy development or review
• inform the development of a particular policy
• help decisions to be made between alternative policy proposals
• be used to finalise legislation before it is implemented

Final decisions on the issues under consideration will also take account of a range of other factors, including other available information and research evidence.

While details of particular circumstances described in a response to a consultation exercise may usefully inform the policy process, consultation exercises cannot address individual concerns and comments, which should be directed to the relevant public body.

This consultation, and all other Scottish Government consultation exercises, can be viewed online on the consultation web pages of the Scottish Government website at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/.

The Scottish Government has an email alert system for consultations, http://register.scotland.gov.uk. This system allows stakeholder individuals and organisations to register and receive a weekly email containing details of all new consultations (including web links). It complements, but in no way replaces SG distribution lists, and is designed to allow stakeholders to keep up to date with all SG consultation activity, and therefore be alerted at the earliest opportunity to those of most interest. We would encourage you to register.

Responding to this consultation paper

We are inviting responses to this consultation paper by Thursday 30 November 2017.

Please respond to this consultation using the Scottish Government's consultation platform, Citizen Space. You view and respond to this consultation online at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/animal-health-and-welfare/bovine-tb . You can save and return to your responses while the consultation is still open. Please ensure that consultation responses are submitted before the closing date of 30 November.

Alternatively, you may use the Consultation Questionnaire Word document supplied to provide your response electronically by sending it, along with your completed Respondent Information Form (see " Handling your Response" below) to: BovineTBConsultation2017@gov.scot

Handwritten responses will be accepted, although the aforementioned methods are preferable. Again, you should use the Consultation Questionnaire provided as this will aid our analysis of the responses received. Please send your response, along with your completed Respondent Information Form, to:

Bovine TB Consultation
Scottish Government
Animal Health & Welfare, Disease Control Team
P Spur
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
EH11 3XD

Please note that responses not using either the online Citizenspace survey or the Consultation Questionnaire Word document provided might not be considered in the analysis of this consultation.

Handling your response

If you respond using Citizen Space ( https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/animal-health-and-welfare/bovine-tb), you will be directed to the Respondent Information Form. Please indicate how you wish your response to be handled and, in particular, whether you are happy for your response to published.

If you are unable to respond via Citizen Space, please complete and return the Respondent Information Form included in this document. If you ask for your response not to be published, we will regard it as confidential, and we will treat it accordingly.

All respondents should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and would therefore have to consider any request made to it under the Act for information relating to responses made to this consultation exercise.

Next steps in the process

Where respondents have given permission for their response to be made public and after we have checked that they contain no potentially defamatory material, responses will be made available to the public (see the attached Respondent Information Form). We will make these available to the public on the Scottish Government consultation web pages ( http://consult.scotland.gov.uk) as soon as possible.

Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence to help us reach a decision on whether to make changes for bovine TB. We aim to issue a report on this consultation process and, if appropriate, to lay amending legislation before the Scottish Parliament during 2018.

Comments and complaints

An opportunity to provide comments on your experience of the consultation is provided as part of the consultation questions. Alternatively you may also send any comments that you may have about how this consultation exercise has been conducted to the contact details in the 'Responding to this consultation' section.