Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: islands and communities impact assessment

Step Two – Gathering data and identifying stakeholders

There are a number of public bodies and environmental non-governmental organisations (eNGOs) who have an interest in the Bill including land management, estates and farming organisations, conservation, nature and environment organisations, public bodies and deer management groups and services. Both Scottish Government officials and the Scottish Ministers have held discussions and engaged with these stakeholders throughout and after the consultation process and in the lead up to the development of the proposed legislative amendments.

Formal public consultations were also carried out on all the policy areas proposed for inclusion in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill:

Statutory nature restoration targets and modernisation of the aims and powers of National Parks.

On 7th September 2023, the Scottish Government launched a 14-week public consultation to seek views on Tackling the nature emergency: Consultation on Scotland's Strategic Framework for Biodiversity.

The consultation requested views on the proposals regarding statutory targets for nature restoration and aims and powers of National Park Authorities. Within the consultation respondents were asked specifically about the impact of these proposals on island communities.

Enabling power for future amendments to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation and the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994

On 18 March 2024, the Scottish Government launched the public consultation on Enabling powers for Scotland’s EIA regimes & Habitats Regulations. The consultation sought views on proposed enabling powers that would better allow for future amendments to Scotland’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regime and Habitats Regulations. The consultation closed on 13 May 2024.

The consultation asked specific questions regarding the specific impacts of the proposals on islands communities. It is not possible to predict every circumstance under which the need for an enabling power may arise in future, although some potential scenarios were identified within the public consultation for consideration by respondents. Any significant future use of the power would be subject to consultation and the appropriate impact assessments.

Reforming legislation relating to deer management

On the 5 January 2024 the Scottish Government launched the ‘Managing Deer for Climate and Nature’ in 2024 which contained several proposals for inclusion in the Bill. The consultation closed on 29 March 2024.

Data

There is data available which shows that densities of Red Deer on the Hebridean Islands are typically lower that on the mainland, but trends are variable. ^[1]

Wild deer do not occur at all on some islands most notably in Orkney and Shetland. In some islands such as Arran, Islay, Jura and Rum and in the Outer Hebrides it is an offence to release or allow any deer to escape from captivity without a licence. ^[2]

Research has also been undertaken looking at the role of deer in tick-borne diseases such as lyme disease on the Isle of Uist. South Uist in particular has among the worst rates of lyme disease and is twenty times higher than the Scottish national average. There is concern from the community and the deer management group that marauding deer in the west of South Uist will act as hosts and distributers of ticks where Islanders spend most of their time.^[3]

In 2023 a vote was organised by Stòras Uibhist, a community owned estate on South Uist held a vote to remove deer from the estate. There were 140 votes in favour of a proposed cull of 1200 deer and 379 against.