³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

A senior-level Tackling Poverty Board has been established by the Scottish Government and COSLA to review policy and practice to reduce poverty in Scotland in the light of the additional challenges and opportunities created by the economic downturn and the developing experience of the Scottish Government''s performance framework and concordat with local government. Monitoring progress against the commitments set out in Achieving our Potential is part of the remit of the board. Papers associated with board meetings to date are published on the Scottish Government website at . These and future papers will cover the work of the group in reviewing evidence of progress on Achieving our Potential.

In addition, the overview commentary of the 2008-09 Single Outcome Agreement Reports has been published at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/SOA/OverviewComm2008-09AnnRep and contains a number of references to progress in tackling poverty and income inequality.

A total of 198, 179 and 158 specimens were referred to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS) operated by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, a Division of the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate of the Scottish Government in 2007, 2008 and 2009 to date, respectively. In 2007, from 198 specimens, 35 were identified as cases of pesticide abuse and three as misuse; in 2008, from 179 specimens, 23 were identified as cases of pesticide abuse and no cases of misuse were identified; in 2009, from 158 specimens, 36 were identified as cases of pesticide abuse and two as misuse.

Abuse of a pesticide is defined as a form of deliberate, illegal attempt to poison an animal. Misuse is defined as the careless, accidental or wilful failure to adhere to correct practice.

The data requested is not held centrally. The data held centrally is based on an aggregate return, so it is not possible to distinguish the circumstances of the crime, or the types of species most commonly targeted in wildlife crime.

The data requested is not held centrally. The data held centrally is based on an aggregate return, so it is not possible to distinguish the circumstances of the crime, or the perpetrator.

The available information is given in the following table:

Number of Wildlife Offences Recorded and Cleared Up by Fife Constabulary, 1999-2000 to 2008-09.

Recorded

Offence	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle	6	15	7	9	3	7	4	4	1	0
Offences involving Animals (excluding dogs, birds elsewhere classified)	0	2	1	1	0	0	1	2	6	13
Offences involving birds	4	0	4	2	6	6	0	0	0	1
Hunting with dogs1	-	-	-	0	0	1	0	2	0	1
Cruelty to wild animals1	-	-	-	0	0	0	3	5	4	2
Offences involving badgers1	-	-	-	0	0	0	2	0	1	3
Other wildlife offences1	-	-	-	0	0	0	42	4	35	1
Total	10	17	12	12	9	14	52	17	47	21

 

Cleared Up

Offence	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle	4	6	4	4	0	3	2	2	0	0
Offences involving Animals (excluding dogs, birds elsewhere classified)	0	2	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	6
Offences involving birds	3	0	1	2	4	1	0	0	0	1
Hunting with dogs1	-	-	-	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Cruelty to wild animals1	-	-	-	0	0	0	2	2	2	2
Offences involving badgers1	-	-	-	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
Other wildlife offences1	-	-	-	0	0	0	27	4	32	1
Total	7	8	6	6	5	5	32	8	35	10

 

Percentage Cleared Up (%)

Offence	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle	67	40	57	44	0	43	50	50	0	.
Offences involving Animals (excluding dogs, birds elsewhere classified)	0	100	100	0	.	.	0	0	17	46
Offences involving birds	75	.	25	100	67	17	.	.	.	100
Hunting with dogs1	-	-	-	.	.	100	.	0	.	0
Cruelty to wild animals1	-	-	-	.	.	.	67	40	50	100
Offences involving badgers1	-	-	-	.	.	.	50	.	0	0
Other wildlife offences1	-	-	-	.	.	.	64	100	91	100
Total	70	47	50	50	56	36	62	47	74	48

Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.

Notes:

- Offence not active within financial year.

1. In financial year 2002-03, crime codes were introduced to cover offences of Hunting with Dogs, Cruelty to Wild Animals, Offences Involving Badgers and Other Wildlife Offences, which (excluding Hunting with dogs) would have previously been recorded under a different offence; but within the same Animal/Plant category.

The available information is given in the following table.

Persons with a Charge Proved for Wildlife Crime Offences¹, in Fife Police Area, by Disposal, 1999-2000 to 2008-09

Main Result of Proceedings	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Community sentence	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Monetary	3	2	0	2	2	3	1	3	1
Admonished	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
All	3	3	0	2	2	3	2	3	3

Note: 1. Where main offence. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.

This information is not held centrally. Operational deployment of resources is a matter for the Chief Constables of Scottish Police Forces.

The available information is given in the following table:

Categories of Wildlife Offences¹ Recorded by Strathclyde Police from 1999-2000 to 2008-09

Offences1

Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle

Offences involving Animals (excluding dogs, birds elsewhere classified)

Offences involving birds

Hunting with dogs1

Cruelty to wild animals1

Offences involving badgers1

Other wildlife offences1

Note: 1. In financial year 2002-03, crime codes were introduced to cover offences of ËœHunting with Dogs, Cruelty to Wild Animals, Offences Involving Badgers and Other Wildlife Offences, which (excluding Hunting with dogs) would have previously been recorded under a different offence; but within the same animal/plant category.

The available information is given in the following table:

Categories of Wildlife Offences¹ Recorded by Fife Constabulary from 1999-2000 to 2008-09

Offences1
Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle
Offences involving Animals (excluding dogs, birds elsewhere classified)
Offences involving birds
Hunting with dogs1
Cruelty to wild animals1
Offences involving badgers1
Other wildlife offences1

Note: 1. In financial year 2002-03, crime codes were introduced to cover offences of Hunting with Dogs, Cruelty to Wild Animals, Offences Involving Badgers and Other Wildlife Offences, which (excluding Hunting with dogs) would have previously been recorded under a different offence; but within the same Animal/Plant category.

The available information is given in the following table.

Persons Convicted for Wildlife Crime Offences², in Strathclyde Police Area, by disposal, 1999-2000 to 2008-09

Main Result of Proceedings	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Custody	1	2	0	0	0	5	1	0	3
Community sentence	2	1	1	3	1	5	4	4	3
Monetary	24	23	16	18	18	16	10	32	45
Admonished	6	2	6	1	3	2	0	9	6
Other	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
All	33	29	23	22	22	28	15	46	58

Note: 1. Where main offence. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.