New crofting bill urged to clear up ‘mess’ of legislation

ANOTHER crofting bill is increasingly likely after the Holyrood elections, with a growing consensus the present legislation is in urgent need of simplification.

The last crofting reform act was passed as recently as 2010 and before that 2007, but they are seen by some as creating as many problems as they solved.

At a recent crofting law conference in Edinburgh there was cross-party agreement on the need for action.

Trudi Sharp, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform in the Scottish Government made the keynote address on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Ms Sharp said she had yet to speak to anyone who would disagree with the sentiment that there was a need to simplify crofting legislation. She said: “The Minister is clear that crofting legislation should be well thought through and deliver law that is modern, simple and fit for purpose.”

The conference heard the views of the opposition parties: Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP; Tavish Scott, Liberal Democrat MSP for Shetland; Donald Cameron, election candidate for the Scottish Conservatives and Andy Wightman, candidate for the Scottish Green Party.

Ms Grant said: “The 2010 Act is a mess and probably needs to be revoked altogether.”

This was echoed by Mr Scott who said: “The less said about the 2010 Act the better. It is one of the worst pieces of legislation ever passed by the Scottish Government.”

Mr Cameron was of the view that it was “time for crofting law to be for the c r of t er s and not the lawyers”. He warned though that “if you legislate in haste on crofting law you will repent at leisure”.

Brian Inkster, Honorary Secretary of the Crofting Law Group which had organised the conference along with the WS Society (Scotland’s independent association for lawyers), said: “It is heartening to see such cross-party support for crofting law reform. The word ‘mess’ was used more than once to describe the current state of crofting legislation. It is to be hoped that the next Scottish Government take cognisance of this and put crofting high on their agenda for new legislation during the next parliamentary term.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are currently engaging with key partners, including the Crofting Law Stakeholder Group, to develop a programme of work, including possible legislation, that could potentially be taken forward in the next parliamentary term.

“Any changes to crofting legislation would have to happen in the context of wider work that crofting stakeholder organisations are undertaking to develop a shared vision for crofting.”