Union welcome for Bill announcement and submits response to crofting law reform consultation.
NFU Scotland has welcomed commitment in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, announced yesterday (4 September) that it is to proceed with plans to bring forward legislation for a Crofting Bill.
In its statement in Parliament, the Scottish Government said that the Bill will support the sustainability of crofting, make crofting regulation less onerous for active crofters and the Crofting Commission, and allow crofters to innovate, diversify and adapt to help meet future climate and environmental challenges. This follows on from the Scottish Government’s recent consultation on proposals for crofting law reform.
NFU Scotland broadly supports reform of crofting law but also used its submission to the consultation on crofting law to call for the legislation to go further to assist entry to crofting for new entrants.
NFU Scotland represents 850 crofting members, and it welcomed the publication of the consultation on crofting law reforms in June after working closely with the Crofting Bill Group to develop the proposals. The recent consultation sought views on proposals regarding:
- entry to crofting
- crofting communities
- use of common grazings
- strengthening residency and land use
- enhanced Crofting Commission powers
- simplifying crofting
Chair of NFU Scotland’s Crofting, Highlands and Islands Committee Archie Macnab, a crofter from Ross-shire said: “We support and encourage any steps to ensure the future of crofting is successful and profitable and look forward to working with Scottish Government on the Bill.
“It is in the best interests of everyone that crofting law is future-proofed, modernised and becomes more flexible to ensure crofting businesses are sustainable and play a full part in the local economy. Crofting law must enable crofting to move with the times and any changes that can speed up the Crofting Commission’s processes would be welcome.
“Greater flexibility in crofting law would recognise that ‘one size fits all’ may not always be appropriate and we have made suggestions around regionalisation of some proposals to ensure all aspects of crofting are catered for.
“We are disappointed that the proposals do not go far enough to help address entry to crofting for new entrants other than the proposed access to funds to purchase a tenancy. That, in itself, may exacerbate the worryingly high values already being paid for croft tenancies.
“Some of the welcomed elements of the proposals do provide opportunity for crofters to benefit from their common grazings, particularly the proposed changes that would permit shareholders to make use of the common grazings for purposes other than solely for livestock grazing.”
Notes for editors
- A full copy of NFU Scotland’s submission to Scottish Government on Crofting Law Reform is available on request from media@nfus.org.uk
Ends
Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006