Freedom of Information Request - Licences for fox hunting
Date: 13 December 2024
Our ref: SIR177564/A4860806
Information Request – Licences for fox hunting
Your Request
For background, The Daily Record reported in August that 41 licences for hunting with packs of dogs had been issued since a new law came into effect last year.
- For each licence issued, can you state what evidence was provided by the applicant to support its application and display the need for hunting with dogs?
- What was the process for fact checking each application please?
- What was your reasoning for issuing each licence please and can you provide the relevant communications for each decision.
- How many licences were issued from November 2023 to March 2024 and for what areas?
- In terms of each licence issued, does the controller of dogs have any association with a mounted hunt please?’
Our Response
Following a search by our Licencing Team of the information we hold our response is below.
- For each licence issued, can you state what evidence was provided by the applicant to support its application and display the need for hunting with dogs?
This is attached separately.
- What was the process for fact checking each application please?
Although it is not possible to fact check each application, it is an offence to provide false information on any licence application in order to gain a licence. Applicants are asked to sign the following declaration on the application form:
‘I understand that it is an offence under The Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 to knowingly or recklessly provide false information in order to obtain a licence, and I declare that the particulars given in this application and any accompanying documents are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief, and I apply for a licence in accordance with these particulars.’
- What was your reasoning for issuing each licence please and can you provide the relevant communications for each decision.
This is attached seperately
- How many licences were issued from November 2023 to March 2024 and for what areas? This information is available from the Disclosure Log on our website.
- In terms of each licence issued, does the controller of dogs have any association with a mounted hunt please?
The legislation does not ask for this information, therefore neither the applicant nor dog handler must supply this information in order for a licence to be assessed.
We have redacted out specific information on the areas/places where hunting with dogs might be taking place. Releasing this information into the public domain in response to this request risks the individuals involved in hunting being identified and could lead them to being targeted and/or harassed posing a risk to public safety. We are therefore withholding this information under EIRs regulation 10(5)(a) (Public Safety).
We have redacted personal data from the documents because releasing personal data into the public domain in response to an access to information request would breach the Data Protection Act 2018. We are therefore withholding the information under 11(2) (Personal Data) of the EIRs.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
Document downloads
Due to accessibility issues the attached information, referenced above, is available on request by contacting the FOI team at [email protected]. Please reference the case number (starting with SIR).
