Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 16 March 2016
16 Mar 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill
I hear what the member says, but if he had listened to my contribution when we were discussing amendments, he would have heard me quoting the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, which said that more than 80 per cent of shooting businesses operate at a loss. I call that price sensitive.
I believe that the bill will hurt the wee man, and that is certainly the case with part 10 of the bill, on agricultural holdings, because the losers in what the Government is now proposing, through its relinquishing and assignation measures, will be the very people who were supposed to be the winners—the new entrants, the young farmers and those who are trying to progress on the farming ladder.
The main policy aim of the bill was to create an environment within which those with land to let are encouraged to let it, but I believe that the impact of assignation for value—as was recognised by the agricultural holdings legislation review group, which was chaired by the cabinet secretary himself—will be stagnation in the sector, the mothballing of a sterile and inflexible letting vehicle and a massive reluctance among those with land to let to do so on any kind of long-term, or even short-term, basis.
The tenanted sector, as we know it, will start its terminal decline at decision time this evening. There will be those who welcome that decline, but I am not among them.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15925, in the name of Aileen McLeod, on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. I invite members who wish to spe...
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment (Richard Lochhead)
SNP
For the purposes of rule 9.11 of the standing orders, I advise Parliament that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Land Reform (Scotland)...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Today marks an important new chapter in Scotland’s land reform story. Scottish Labour has worked hard and, I hope, in a co-operative manner to secure stronge...
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
I call Alex Fergusson. This will be Mr Fergusson’s final speech in the chamber. 17:56
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I start by drawing members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I thank the clerks to the Rural Affai...
Michael Russell (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member reflect on the fact that what he says about a competitive disadvantage would be true only if shooting were price sensitive? There is no evide...
Alex Fergusson
Con
I hear what the member says, but if he had listened to my contribution when we were discussing amendments, he would have heard me quoting the British Associa...
Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP)
SNP
Does Alex Fergusson have any evidence that there has been improvement and non-decline in the tenanted sector over the past 20, 30 or 40 years?
Alex Fergusson
Con
No, but my belief is that, had we worked towards the conversion model that all stakeholders were working towards and making progress with before the new idea...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
On behalf of the Parliament, I thank Alex Fergusson for his contribution as an MSP, as a committee convener and, of course, as Presiding Officer between 2007...
Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
SNP
In tribute to Alex Fergusson, I have always championed his right to say what he believes to be correct, even if we disagree—very often fundamentally—about hi...
Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab)
Lab
I am very happy to be involved in this debate, which is very dear to my heart. I would go so far as to say that, alongside seeing what poverty and disadvanta...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
I ask members to note that this will be Dave Thompson’s valedictory speech in our Parliament. We thank him for his nine years of service to the Parliament an...
Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you very much for your kind remarks, Presiding Officer. I believe that the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill is the single most important bill with which I ...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I am a bit concerned that the member is totally ignoring the role of people such as Brian Wilson in the land reform debate. The member is ignoring what Brian...
Dave Thompson
SNP
I do not really understand the relevance of the member’s comment to what I was saying. While we are talking about the Tories, I must correct the record foll...
Alex Fergusson
Con
Will the member give way?
Dave Thompson
SNP
I am sorry, but I need to make progress. I have a few other points that I need to get in. The transformative effects of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill shou...
Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD)
LD
Liberal Democrats have long been advocates of land reform in Scotland, so it may be fitting to recognise the work of Ross Finnie, the Lib Dem minister who le...
Rob Gibson
SNP
The member should realise that, when the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill was passed in 2003, there were more than 230 amendments to it, and I am sure that a simi...
Jim Hume
LD
I appreciate that intervention from Rob Gibson, and I think that he would also appreciate that, whoever is in Government, it is always best to get the amendm...
Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP)
SNP
I am not sure about the analogies to giving birth, but today feels a little like waving a child off into the big bad world. You have invested considerable ti...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
It is concerning to learn that so many of the members who spoke in this afternoon’s debate are standing down. One wonders who will be left to do the hard wor...
Michael Russell (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
SNP
I am very conscious this evening, after a very long day of debate, that we are now reflecting upon where we stand not just now but for the future. We stand ...
Michael Russell
SNP
I give way to Fergus Ewing.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Mr Ewing—when you are ready. I hope that it is as soon as possible.
Fergus Ewing
SNP
My apologies, Presiding Officer. Since Mr Russell has raised the issue of deer management, I will say that recently I had the pleasure of addressing the an...
Michael Russell
SNP
That is a very good question. It can be avoided in the future, and I regard leaving carcases in that way and any such practice as unacceptable. The way to re...
John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Ind)
Ind
I, too, thank the many people who have been involved in the good work to get us to this point. The policy memorandum says: “Land, both rural and urban, is ...
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
We move to closing speeches. I call Jamie McGrigor. This is Mr McGrigor’s final speech in the Parliament. 19:00