Freedom of Information Request - Native Woodland Creation Schiehallion – Follow Up Request
Date: 03 September 2024
Our ref: SIR176827/A4725277
Information Request – Native Woodland Creation Schiehallion – Follow Up Request
Thank you for your information request, which we received on 23 August. We have considered your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’).
Your Request
1. John Muir Trust successfully applied for out-of-season and night shooting authorizations, numbered 17607 & 17608. It is a condition of such authorizations that information regarding numbers of deer culled should be returned within one month of the end of the period concerned (31st March). I would therefore like to ask for the return showing deer culled under these authorizations, or for confirmation that such a return has not yet been received.
2. Secondly, the information received details an email from Nature Scot to Scottish Forestry on 12/6/24 in relation to an EIA screening meeting, which states that an additional Briefing Note will be sent IN CONFIDENCE. I would like to ask for this Briefing Note under FOI as the purpose of this process is for us to see more clearly what is going on at present. Suggesting the note is IN CONFIDENCE does not necessarily mean it is confidential under FOI, and we would like to see it please.
Amendment to the Information Request
We contacted you concerning point 2 of your information request, and you are content that this part of your request has been answered in our previous response to you, dated the 21 August. This response will therefore concentrate on point 1 only.
Our Response
We have discussed your request with our Wildlife Management Team who have provided the following information in response to your request.
| Licence Number | Date of Issue | Reason for Licence | Authorisation Period | Return information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17607 | 30 November 2023 | Out of Season | 16 February 2024 – 31 March 2024 | Null Return received – No Deer Shot |
| 17608 | 30 November 2023 | Night Shoots | 16 February 2024 – 31 March 2024 | Null Return received – No Deer Shot |
The Team has, for completeness, also provided the most recent annual cull return, period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, for deer shot outside those authorisations and where no authorisation is required, and this information is as follows:
- 19 Stags
- 17 Hinds
- 35 Calves
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
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