Legislation / Legal
ScotGov: New controls are being introduced on 17 December 2010to deal with the persistent problem of sheep scab in Scotland. The legislation will put a legal obligation on any person who suspects that sheep in their possession or care have the infection to let their local Divisional Veterinary Manager know as soon as possible. Movement restrictions will then apply until the sheep are either treated or slaughtered, or a veterinary surgeon provides a negative diagnosis.
ScotGov: Shooting certain species of wildfowl is being suspended by Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham. Species such as ducks, geese and shore waders are unable to feed in the current freezing conditions, threatening the birds' natural survival. The suspension, brought into force under Section 2 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, prohibits the shooting of birds from 10 December 2010. It will last for 14 days but will be reviewed after 7 days.
ScotGov: A new law that will ditch the right to buy (RTB) for new council house & housing association tenants has been granted Royal Assent and is now an Act of Parliament. With Royal Assent, the Act's provisions on Right to Buy will come into force on 1 March 2011. It is expected that up to 18,000 homes would be kept in the social rented sector over the next 10 years, rather than being sold to tenants.
A new Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) will be created, and the introduction of a charter for social housing, aims to improve value for tenants & taxpayers by assessing landlords' performance. Around one in four Scottish households, about 600,000 homes, are in the social rented sector.
