The Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament, introduced to the legislature in 2013, and became law after receiving Royal Assent on 19 February 2014. It sought to improve the regulation of businesses requiring certain environmental permits within Scotland whilst strengthening existing protections of the environment.
An Act of the Scottish Parliament is primary legislation made by the Scottish Parliament. The power to create Acts was conferred to the Parliament by section 28 of the Scotland Act 1998 following the successful 1997 referendum on devolution.
John Swinney MSP introduced the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Bill to Parliament on 27 March 2013, supported by Paul Wheelhouse MSP and Fergus Ewing MSP. [1] It passed through the various stages in Parliament between November 2013 and January 2014 and received Royal Assent on 19 February 2014, [2] with Part 5 of the Act (excluding section 57) coming into force the following day. The legislation allowed for the remainder of the Act to come into force on a future date at the will of the Scottish Ministers. [3] The Act arose from recommendations made to the Government by the Environmental Crime Task Force. [5]
John Ramsay Swinney is a Scottish politician serving as Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. He previously held the post of Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy, until that role was divided into two posts in the second Sturgeon government as a result of the expansion of the Scottish Parliament's financial powers. He is also the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside (1999–2011).
Paul Richard William Wheelhouse is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician serving as Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands since 26 June 2018. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the South Scotland region since 2011 and Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy in the Scottish Government from May 2016 to June 2018.
Fergus Stewart Ewing is a Scottish politician, serving as the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Inverness and Nairn.
The Act attempts to make it easier for businesses to apply for certain permits and licences in Scotland, while strengthening environmental regulations to protect the country's natural heritage. Businesses will be able to apply for a single permit for a site where several would have been required previously. In addition, it gives courts additional sentencing powers in relation to environmental crime and give the Scottish Environment Protection Agency more powers to enforce laws. A new criminal offence of causing environmental harm has also been created. [6] [7]
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is Scotland’s environmental regulator and national flood forecasting, flood warning and strategic flood risk management authority. Its main role is to protect and improve Scotland's environment. SEPA does this by helping business and industry to understand their environmental responsibilities, enabling customers to comply with legislation and good practice and to realise the economic benefits of good environmental practice. One of the ways SEPA does this is through the NetRegs environmental guidance service. It protects communities by regulating activities that can cause harmful pollution and by monitoring the quality of Scotland's air, land and water. The regulations it implements also cover the storage, transport and disposal of radioactive materials.
Environmental crime is an illegal act which directly harms the environment. International bodies such as the G8, Interpol, European Union, United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute have recognised the following environmental crimes:
The Scottish Parliament is the unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyrood.
The Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 are two Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which form part of the constitution of the United Kingdom. Section 2(2) of the Parliament Act 1949 provides that the two Acts are to be construed as one.
The Scotland Act 1998(c. 46) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which legislated for the establishment of the devolved Scottish Parliament with tax varying powers and the Scottish Government. It is one of the most significant constitutional pieces of legislation to be passed by the UK Parliament since the European Communities Act 1972 and is the most significant piece of legislation to affect Scotland since the Acts of Union in 1707 which ratified the Treaty of Union and led to the disbandment of the Parliament of Scotland.
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places. Enacted on 17 July 2000, it established a range of processes to help protect and promote the recovery of threatened species and ecological communities, and preserve significant places from decline. The EPBC Act replaced the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975.
The Census (Amendment) Act 2000 and Census (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2000 are acts of the Parliaments of the United Kingdom and Scotland, respectively. They introduced a question on the religion of respondents to the censuses of Great Britain.
The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act is an Act of the Scottish Parliament passed in February 2002, making Scotland the first part of the United Kingdom to ban traditional fox hunting and hare coursing.
The Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 was a land reform enforced by an Act of the Scottish Parliament that was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 3 May 2000, and received Royal Assent on 9 June 2000.
Prostitution in Scotland has been similar to that in England under the State of Union, but since devolution, the new Scottish Parliament has pursued its own policies.
The Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Amendment (Scotland) Act is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which amends section 7(4) of the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967 in respect of rights of several fishery.
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament. The Act includes an emissions target, set for the year 2050, for a reduction of at least 80% from the baseline year, 1990. Annual targets for greenhouse gas emissions must also be set, after consultation the relevant advisory bodies.
The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which allows same-sex couples to marry in Scotland since 16 December 2014.
Food Standards Scotland is a non-ministerial government department of the Scottish Government. It is responsible for food safety, food standards, nutrition, food labelling and meat inspection in Scotland. Established by the Food (Scotland) Act 2015, Food Standards Scotland has taken over the responsibilities of the UK-wide organisation, the Food Standards Agency, in Scotland.
The Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which passed through the legislative body in 2013 and received Royal Assent on 17 January 2014. It brought into law a number of changes to modify the experience victims and witnesses have within Scotland's justice system.
The Landfill Tax (Scotland) Act 2014 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament, introduced to the legislature in 2013 and receiving Royal Assent on 21 January 2014, which creates a new Scottish Landfill Tax. The tax applies mainly to waste management companies and local authorities disposing of waste at landfill.
The Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Act 2011 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which received Royal Assent on 27 April 2011. and came into force on 28 November 2011. The Act creates a statutory basis for the rule against trying a person twice for the same crime. The Act also creates three narrow exceptions to this rule.
The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament passed in October 2014 to improve access to the civil justice system and while making the Court of Session a place for the more complex cases.
The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 or WANE Act is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which introduced legislation to that country, affecting the way land and the environment is managed. The Act also amended earlier environmental legislation, including the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.
The Scottish Land Commission was established by the Scottish Government following the passage of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 by the Scottish Parliament; the Commission also incorporates the work of the Tenant Farming Commissioner. The Lands Commissioners, who constitute the Commission, have functions relating to land in Scotland, so that they address issues which relate to ownership of land, land rights, management of land, and use of land. The Tenant Farming Commissioner has the aim of improving the relationship between tenant farmers and land owners, and can create codes of practice, provide practical guidance, and must consult on such matters. The Tenant Farming Commissioner cannot be an agricultural landlord or agricultural tenant, and will develop codes of practice which are in addition to the law and the jurisdiction of the Scottish Land Court.
The Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Act 2002 is legislation that introduced arrangements for complaints against any Member of the Scottish Parliament to be investigated independently. It established the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, who was given powers to summon witnesses and compel evidence.