MSPs to consider amendments to land reform legislation

MSPs will begin consideration of land reform legislation on Tuesday.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will, if passed, give ministers the power to break up large estates being offered for sale if certain conditions are met, as well as aiming to make community buyouts easier.

While some, such as the Scottish Greens, have warned the Bill does not go far enough, the Scottish Conservatives have said they will not support the legislation, claiming the powers to break up estates risk “class warfare”.

MSPs will begin debating almost 400 amendments in two marathon sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “This Bill would mean large estates cannot be sold until ministers have considered the impact on communities, and whether a more diverse pattern of ownership would be beneficial.

“The Scottish Parliament has long championed land reform.

“Modernisation is necessary to increase transparency, allowing communities to truly benefit from the land they live and work on, as well as to ensure that we protect tenant farmers and small landholders from being exploited.

“This Bill gives us the chance to move the dial and make real progress in how our land is owned and managed, for the benefit of all of Scotland’s people, rather than the few.”

But the Scottish Tories said the Bill was “completely unworkable in its current guise”.

“Ministers had the chance to listen to rural Scotland throughout the passage of this Bill, yet they didn’t – and we have ended up with another utterly shambolic piece of nationalist legislation,” said the party’s rural affairs spokesman Tim Eagle.

“Far from supporting rural Scotland, their Bill will impose measures that are extremely damaging to rural businesses and communities.

“The scale of opposition from across the political spectrum should tell SNP ministers that they have got this wrong, with some critics warning it might even breach Holyrood’s legal powers.

“There are measures in this Bill, including the interference of Scottish ministers in decisions surrounding the transfer of large landholdings, that risk class warfare in certain parts of Scotland.

“It is not too late for Mairi Gougeon to think again and recognise that her punitive approach to land reform will achieve nothing.”

Earlier this month, Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer said the Bill needs “substantial changes” if the party is to support it.

The Greens have submitted dozens of amendments, including to dissuade rich foreigners from buying land in Scotland.