Freedom of Information Request - SIR176925 - hunting with dog licenses criteria
Date: 27 September 2024
Our ref: SIR176925/A4750137
Information Request – hunting with dog licenses criteria
Thank you for your information request, which we received on 02 September 2024. We have considered your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’).
Your Request
‘following the information released here,
Freedom of Information Request: Hunting with Dogs Licences | NatureScot
I would like to request more information on the evaluation criteria used to grant the licenses, and transparency about the evidence that had to be provided by the applicants to prove that there was no "other solution which would be effective in achieving the purpose" of controlling the alleged damage caused by the wild animals.’
Our Response
We have discussed your request with our Licencing team and our response is below. We have also attached our processing guidance separately. The processing guide is used by our Licensing Officers to support their assessment of Hunting with Dogs Licence applications.
NatureScot assessed each application on its own merit. Using the information provided by the applicant we determine whether or not it meets the requirements of our licensing tests:
1. Whether there’s a valid licensable purpose – e.g. foxes are causing/likely to cause serious damage to livestock (lambing)
2. If there is no other solution which would be effective in achieving the purpose – e.g. fencing, use of housing for livestock, or use of firearms to control the wild mammal species.
3. For applications for environmental benefit (only), if the proposed activity is part of a scheme or plan and if the killing, capturing or observing of the wild mammal will contribute towards a significant or long-term environmental benefit.
You can find more information on how we assess applications within Guidance notes for applicants requiring more than two dogs to manage a wild mammal species.
We don’t ask for specific evidence other than the information applicants provide to us via the application form for Hunting with Dogs licenses, which is then used to assess applications (see above). Applicants may also choose to submit additional documents separately.
To note, we have marked out (redacted) some personal data in the document provided. Releasing the 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 EIRs Regulation 11(2) (Personal data).
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).