Questions regarding fox hunts registered in Scotland: EIR release

Information requested

 

1) How many fox hunts are registered in Scotland as of February 2019?

2) How many hunts took place recorded in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019?

3) How many foxes were recorded as having been killed for each of these years?

4) I'd like detailed the cause of death for each of these foxes for each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

5) I'd like to know how many of these hunts were wrong - in that the fox was killed by dogs rather than being shot as per the 2002 Wild Mammals Act?

6) How many people have been prosecuted since 2002 for abusing the 2002 Wild Mammals Act in relation to fox hunting?

 

Response

 

1) How many fox hunts are registered in Scotland as of February 2019?

Information regarding the registered fox hunts operating in Scotland can be found at,
https://www.gov.scot/publications/report-review-protection-wild-mammals-scotland-act-2002/pages/3/

2) How many hunts took place recorded in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have.
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because the Scottish Government does not require those hunting foxes (with or without dogs) to report on the number of hunts that they carry out.

3) How many foxes were recorded as having been killed for each of these years?

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested at Annex A.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold some of the information you have requested.
Our records for the Fox Control Programme go back to 2013 and contain information on the number of foxes killed but not the method of killing.
Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have.
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because the Scottish Government does not require those hunting foxes (with or without dogs) to report the of number foxes killed or the method of killing.

4) I'd like detailed the case of death for each of these foxes for each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.
Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have.
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because the Scottish Government does not require those hunting foxes (with or without dogs) to report the circumstance of each fox kill.

5) I'd like to know how many of these hunts were wrong - in that the fox was killed by dogs rather than being shot as per the 2002 Wild Mammals Act?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs.
Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have.

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because the Scottish Government does not hold information of the instances where a hunt allowed a fox to be killed by a dog. This constitutes an offence under the Protection of Wild Mammals Act (2002) and would be processed as a crime by Police Scotland.

6) How many people have been prosecuted since 2002 for abusing the 2002 Wild Mammals Act in relation to fox hunting?
26 people have been prosecuted under the Protection of Wild Mammals Act (2002) in relation to fox hunting.
 

 

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

foi-19-00508 Annex A

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