Scottish Land Commission facts for kids
| Scottish Gaelic: Coimisean Fearainn na h-Alba | |
Scottish Land Commission logo
|
|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1 April 2017 |
| Type | Executive non-departmental public body |
| Jurisdiction | Scotland |
| Headquarters | An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus, Inverness, IV2 5NA 57°29′15″N 4°13′36″W / 57.4876°N 4.2267°W |
| Agency executives |
|
| Parent department | Scottish Government |
| Key document | |
| Map | |
Scotland in the UK and Europe
|
|
The Scottish Land Commission (Scottish Gaelic: Coimisean Fearainn na h-Alba) is an organization set up by the Scottish Government. It was created after a new law called the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 was passed. This Commission also includes the Tenant Farming Commissioner.
The main job of the Land Commissioners is to look at how land is owned, used, and managed in Scotland. They work to solve problems related to who owns land, land rights, and how land is looked after. The Tenant Farming Commissioner helps improve relationships between tenant farmers (people who rent land to farm) and land owners. They can create helpful guides and rules to make things fair. This Commissioner cannot be a farmer who rents land or someone who rents out land.
The Scottish Land Commission also checks how land is owned, especially if a few people own a lot of land. They look at land taxes and how land can be used best for everyone's benefit. They also review laws and policies about land in Scotland.
Contents
How the Commission Started
In 2013, Richard Lochhead, who was a government minister, started a review about farming land. This review looked at how land was owned and used, and how farmers who rented land got along with landowners. It also checked all the related laws. The review finished its report in January 2015.
Richard Lochhead said that good relationships between landowners and tenants were very important for farming in Scotland. He explained that the future of farming depends on trust and respect between these groups.
After people shared their thoughts on the report, the Scottish Government introduced a new law proposal called the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. This happened on June 22, 2015. The Scottish Parliament approved the Bill on March 16, 2016. It officially became the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 on March 22, 2016.
Some groups had concerns about the new law. For example, the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament worried that the law gave too much power to Scottish Ministers. They felt that many details of the law could be changed later without enough public checking.
On March 1, 2016, Scottish Land and Estates, a group representing rural landowners, also shared their worries. They felt the law focused too much on being "radical" and didn't recognize the good things landowners already did. They also said that how land is used is just as important as who owns it. Aileen McLeod, another minister, spoke to this group. She agreed that landowners have important skills in managing land. She said the law wanted to create a fair balance between tenants and landowners. The goal was to encourage good practices across Scotland.
Some people, like the Scottish Green Party, felt the new law wasn't strong enough. Andy Wightman, a Green Party spokesperson, was disappointed that the law didn't stop companies from other countries (especially those in tax havens) from owning Scottish land. Some also wished the law would limit how much land one person could own.
The Scottish Land Commission officially started its work on April 1, 2017.
Where the Commission Works
The Scottish Land Commission has its main office in Inverness. About twenty people work there. This includes five Land Commissioners, the Tenant Farming Commissioner, and other support staff.
The Commissioners
Choosing the Commissioners
The first people chosen to be Commissioners were announced in November 2016. They included Andrew Thin, Professor David Adams, Lorne MacLeod, Sally Reynolds, Megan MacInnes, and Bob McIntosh as the Tenant Farming Commissioner.
A committee of the Scottish Parliament checked these choices. They recommended that the Parliament approve the appointments. However, they suggested that Bob McIntosh should leave his membership in a professional group to make sure he seemed completely fair. They believed he was good at building relationships between landowners and tenants. The committee also suggested that Lorne MacLeod step down from some other roles he had.
The Scottish Parliament approved the appointment of all the Land Commissioners on December 13, 2016.
The Chairman
The first chairman, Andrew Thin, used to be an advisor to the Scottish Government on tenant farming. He also helped set up the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
The Tenant Farming Commissioner
The Tenant Farming Commissioner cannot be a farmer who rents land or someone who rents out land. Their job is to create rules and guides that help landowners and tenants work together. These rules are in addition to existing laws. The Commissioner can also investigate if these rules are not followed.
In 2016, Christopher Nicholson from the Scottish Tenant Farming Association said that both landowners and tenants supported having a Tenant Farming Commissioner. Bob McIntosh, the first Tenant Farming Commissioner, said that in the past, relationships between landlords and tenants were sometimes difficult. He hoped his work would help create a more cooperative and fair partnership.
In April 2017, Bob McIntosh said he hoped the new rules he developed would help tenants and landowners solve problems without needing to go to the Scottish Land Court. He explained that he could investigate complaints if someone didn't follow the rules.
