What recent assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of welfare standards for pigs.

The effectiveness of animal welfare enforcement is reviewed at animal welfare liaison meetings, held on a regular basis between staff of animal health divisional offices, local authorities, the Scottish SPCA and stakeholders. Animal health staff also meet local authority and Scottish SPCA colleagues both at national and local level to discuss individual cases and possible improvements in resolving welfare issues generally.
Animal health staff visit farms to monitor the compliance with pig welfare legislation. Both random visits and visits in response to complaints are undertaken, with priority given where a complaint indicates a serious welfare problem. Any farm where poor welfare standards were identified at an initial inspection is subjected to a further inspection.
Animal welfare enforcement is not limited to prosecutions and in less serious cases enforcement officers adopt an advisory and educational approach, as this can be a better way to improve and maintain animal welfare on farms. Serious breaches of animal welfare legislation generally result in a case being submitted to the Procurator Fiscal, while less serious cases will often result in the serving of an improvement notice. Animal health staff report that compliance with notices is high and they are an effective and proportionate way to enforce welfare legislation before resorting to a prosecution.