Remit
Land reform
In its work programme, the Committee agreed to monitor the work of the Land Reform Review Group and to hold evidence sessions with the Group, stakeholders and the Minister for Environment and Climate Change following the publication of the Land Review Group’s final report on 23 May 2014.
Previous work on land reform
The Committee held sessions on the previous report in 2013 with the Group and Minister. The previous Rural Affairs and Environment Committee (RAE) also completed an investigation into the implementation of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 in March 2011, based on research commissioned from the Centre for Mountain Studies and on evidence from the Minister for Rural Affairs and Environment. This specifically focused on the provisions on access, the community right to buy, and the crofting community right to buy.
The Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee considered the research and subsequently took evidence from the Centre for Mountain Studies on 21 September 2011. The Committee then sent a letter to the Scottish Government summarising its views on these matters (link below).
In July 2012, the Scottish Government announced that it was setting up a Land Reform Review Group to oversee a wide ranging review of land reform in Scotland. The Committee will continue to monitor the work of the group.
Evidence
Written evidence
Additional Information
Correspondence
The Committee received a letter from the Minister anouncing the publication of the Land Reform Review Group's report. Read the letter here:
The Committee wrote to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change with their findings on 27 June 2014. Read the letter here:
The Scottish Government responded to the Committee's letter on 5 August 2014. Read the letter here:
Previous work on land reform
The Committee wrote to the Cabinet Secretary asking for a response to the Committee's views and recommendations (which are contained as an annexe to the following letter). Read it here:
Read the Cabinet Secretary's response here: