Information on contractual relationship with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA): EIR release

Information requested

The following information in regards to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA):

1. What is the nature of the contractual relationship between the Scottish Government and the above Agency in respect to farm animal welfare and, in particular, animal welfare on fish farms?

2. Please provide the headings of the contract.

3. What is the current budget agreed with the Agency? Please provide the budget amounts for each year from 2020.

4. Specifically, is the Agency obliged, on a routine basis, to provide the Scottish Government with reports of the work carried out in Scotland in respect of animal welfare on fish farms?

5. Please provide the latest copy of any report under item 4.

Response

For queries 1 and 2, the information is available in APHA’s most recent Service Level Agreement and can be found at Animal and Plant Health Agency SLA Agreement 2024/25.

Under Regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

In relation to query 3, the agreed APHA budget for the past five years can be found in the table below:

Financial Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25
Budget	£12,807,900	£13,330,104	£14,303,517	£16,444,835	£17,054,101

The answer to queries 4 and 5 is that no specific report is produced for animal welfare on fish farms. However, under the Service Level Agreement, APHA does provide the Scottish Government with updates and statistical information concerning their work.

About FOI

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