8Scottish dog control databaseS
(1)The Scottish Ministers, after consultation with local authorities in Scotland and with such other persons as the Scottish Ministers think appropriate, may by order provide—
(a)for the establishment, maintenance, operation, management and control of a national database of dog control notices, and
(b)for the appointment of a database operator (that is to say, of a person to exercise functions in relation to the establishment, maintenance, operation, management and control of that database).
(2)Any database established under subsection (1) is to be known as the “Scottish dog control database”.
(3)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the order may—
(a)specify information which must or may be entered in the database,
(b)permit or require any person to be given access to the database (or to some part of the database) for research purposes,
(c)specify the length of time for which information so entered must or may be retained,
(d)provide for the cancellation or variation of information entered in the database,
(e)provide technical specifications for the database,
(f)provide for the security of the database,
(g)permit a local authority to disclose information for inclusion in the database,
(h)permit a local authority to share, for the purposes of this Act, the information so disclosed with other local authorities, Scottish Ministers and the police,
(i)require the submission to the database operator by a local authority of information as respects their area (including the form in which, and time within which, the information is to be so submitted), and
(j)require that a local authority meet such other requirements in relation to the database as may be specified in the order.