SEA screening determinations

Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005: Section 8(1) Screening: Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill

27 February 2024

Statement – Screening Determination

I refer to the screening report prepared for the Agriculture Bill, which was submitted to the SEA Gateway on 22 August 2022. Responses from the Consultation Authorities were received on 9 September 2022, whose overall opinions supported our view that the Bill is solely enabling in nature and was therefore unlikely to have significant environmental effects. The Scottish Government has however taken a precautionary approach as recommended by the Consultation Authorities and aims to review for likely significant environmental effects when developing secondary legislation where it can be more meaningful undertaken. 

I am writing on behalf of the Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Economy to confirm that the Scottish Government has determined, using the criteria set out in Schedule 2 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, that the Agriculture and Rural Economy Bill is unlikely to have significant effects. At this stage it will not set the framework for future projects or have defined environmental problems relevant to itself (Sch. 2 para. 1), nor will its enabling nature result in effects such as those characterised in Schedule 2 paragraph 2. A Strategic Environmental Assessment is therefore not required on primary legislation.

I enclose a copy of the determination advert which will be placed in the Edinburgh Gazette and the Glasgow Herald. I would be grateful if you could forward this to the SEA Consultation Authorities.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information.

Yours sincerely,
Ewen Scott, Branch Head of Agriculture Bill

Agriculture and Rural Community Bill 

The Scottish Government has determined that the Agriculture and Rural Community Bill, an enabling Bill in nature, is unlikely to have significant environmental effects and an Strategic Environmental Assessment is not required.  The screening determination can be viewed at https://www.strategicenvironmentalassessment.gov.scot/.