Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee has agreed the general principles of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill, while urging a more fundamental review of crofting law in the next parliamentary session.
The Committee published its report, supporting the Bill as a step towards modernising aspects of crofting legislation and improving how the system works for crofters and communities across rural Scotland.
However, members were clear that the Bill does not go far enough to address the long term challenges facing crofting, and called on the next Scottish Government to undertake a full structural review of crofting policy and law before bringing forward further legislation.
Committee Convener Finlay Carson said the Bill would deliver some important improvements.
“This is a useful Bill in as far as the changes it proposes should help to modernise and update some aspects of crofting law to support crofters and crofting communities.
“But it is clear there is a real appetite for further reform to ensure crofting policy and law is best able to support crofters and their communities in the future.
“Crofting is hugely important to Scotland for the cultural, economic, social and environmental benefits it continues to deliver in rural areas.
“That’s why we need properly thought through crofting policy to ensure the key tenets of the crofting system remain relevant and crofters are equipped to meet the emerging challenges of the sector, head on.”
Effective enforcement of crofters’ duties was raised repeatedly during evidence sessions on the Bill.
These duties include requirements for crofters to live on or near their croft, actively cultivate it and avoid misuse.
In its report, the Committee welcomed the Crofting Commission’s renewed focus on enforcement, describing it as central to the future health of the sector.
The report states that a healthy and sustainable crofting community depends on effective enforcement by an adequately resourced Crofting Commission.
The Committee also set out its support for a number of specific changes, including making it easier for crofters to use crofts and common grazings for environmental projects, provided enforcement remains strong enough to prevent neglect.
Members backed proposals to streamline the assignation of crofts to close family members, helping younger crofters access land.
Support was also given for measures making it easier for community organisations to purchase croft land for crofting or housing, with the aim of increasing affordable rural housing.
The report addressed long standing issues around the accidental separation of grazing shares, noting broad support among crofters for preventing such separation altogether.
More broadly, the Committee said the Scottish Government must continue to support and properly resource the Crofting Commission.
It also backed the development of the Rural Payments and Inspections Division as a source of local knowledge and on the ground presence to support enforcement.
Mr Carson thanked those who contributed to the Committee’s work.
“We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to support our scrutiny of this Bill.
“This includes those we met during our visit to Skye, where many of our views and lasting impressions of the sector were formed, and crofters from across Scotland who took part in our online meeting.”
