Executive ready to protect crofters' rights
Crofting Bill may be used to prevent landlords getting round the Land Reform Act
The Scottish Executive may legislate to prevent landowners seeking to frustrate the intended benefit to crofting communities from the Land Reform (Scotland) Act.
Consultation on a draft Crofting Reform Bill will begin early in 2005. Deputy Rural Development Minister Lewis Macdonald has stated that if necessary it will include measures to protect the crofting community's right to buy, conferred by the Land Reform Act in order to give communities the opportunity to own the land they croft.
Mr Macdonald said: "I am aware of suggestions that landowners may try to circumvent these provisions, by leasing development rights to companies in which they have an interest.
"It is far from clear what the practical impact of such attempts would be. Such measures would undoubtedly adversely affect the value of the land, so landowners may think twice before trying this approach.
"However, if it becomes clear that landowners are seeking to frustrate the purpose of the Act I shall not hesitate to use the Crofting Reform Bill to introduce measures to protect the benefits of the right to buy."
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