Environment
‘Sick’ salmon film prompts government probe into Scottish fish farm
Scottish Government inspectors have launched an investigation into video evidence of alleged animal cruelty at a salmon farm on the north west coast.
Rob Edwards
Human rights, Politics
Council officials push to weaken freedom of information law
Senior local authority officials are lobbying to relax freedom of information law so that they can increase charges, delay responses and reject more requests as “vexatious”.
Environment
Fish farming industry bids to relax limits on toxic pesticide
The multinational salmon farming industry has been pushing behind the scenes for environmental limits on a toxic pesticide to be 100 times weaker than government regulators recommend.
Human rights, Politics
Journalists call for reform to stop public agencies blocking freedom of information
Repeated attempts by government agencies in Scotland to block public access to information show that freedom of information law should be strengthened, say journalists.
Environment
Licensed to kill: the landowners who shoot thousands of brown hares
Landowners and farmers are licensed to kill more than 1,300 brown hares every year during the breeding season, prompting accusations that their young will be left to starve to death.
Environment
The ten beaches in Scotland where swimming could damage your health
Ten popular bathing waters around the southern Scottish coastline are so badly contaminated with human and animal faeces that they are a danger to public health.
Environment
Fish farms under investigation for allegedly breaking environmental rules
Caged salmon farms are being investigated by the Scottish Government’s green watchdog for allegedly breaching regulations designed to protect the environment.
Environment, Politics
Community climate projects axed as funding halved by Scottish Government
The Scottish Government has quietly halved funding for communities tackling climate pollution, depriving 43 local projects of grants and putting people out of work.
Environment, Health
Ineos breach at Grangemouth risks ‘catastrophic’ accident
The oil and petrochemical giant, Ineos, has broken rules meant to prevent disasters and protect communities in central Scotland, according to a UK government safety watchdog.