The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2024

Draft Regulations laid before the Scottish Parliament under section 51(3) of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 for approval by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.

Draft Scottish Statutory Instruments

2024 No.

Animals

The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2024

Made

2024

Coming into force

22nd February 2024

The Scottish Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 26(1) and 51(2)(b) of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006(1) and all other powers enabling them to do so.

In accordance with section 26(5) of that Act, the Scottish Ministers have consulted such persons appearing to them to represent relevant interests, and such other persons, as they consider appropriate.

In accordance with section 51(3) of that Act(2), a draft of this instrument has been laid before and approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2024 and come into force on 22 February 2024.

Amendment of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2010

2.  In regulation 7A (animal welfare guidance) of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2010(3), after paragraph (2)(b), insert—

“(c) the guidance contained in the document titled “Guidance for the Welfare of Pigs” and dated November 2023, which was first published by the Scottish Government on its website on 20 November 2023(4).”.

Name

Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers

St Andrew’s House,

Edinburgh

Date

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (“the 2010 Regulations”). These Regulations insert a new sub-paragraph into regulation 7A(2) of the 2010 Regulations.

Regulation 7A (animal welfare guidance) of the 2010 Regulations provides that a person responsible for a farmed animal must not attend to that animal unless that person is acquainted with any relevant animal welfare guidance and has access to it while attending to that animal. The person responsible must also take all reasonable steps to ensure that any other person employed or engaged by the person responsible does not attend to any such animal, unless that other person is acquainted with any relevant animal welfare guidance, has access to a copy of it while attending to the animal, and has received instruction on how to comply with the guidance.

These Regulations add a document titled “Guidance for the Welfare of Pigs” to the definition of “animal welfare guidance” found in regulation 7A(2) of the 2010 Regulations. A copy of the document can be viewed on, or downloaded from, the Scottish Government’s website. Copies of the document can be provided following request to the Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate, Animal Health and Welfare Division.

No business and regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations as no impact upon business, charities or voluntary bodies is foreseen.

(1)

2006 asp 11.

(2)

Section 51(3) has been modified by paragraph 5 of schedule 3 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 10).

(3)

S.S.I. 2010/388. Regulation 7A was inserted by S.S.I. 2019/211 and amended by S.S.I. 2020/385.

(4)

ISBN: 9781835212394 (web only – https://www.gov.scot/publications/guidance-welfare-pigs/).