Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. In dealing with the amendments, members should have the bill as amended ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Group 1 is on public rights of way. Amendment 232, in the name of David Torrance, is grouped with amendments 234, 264 and 321. 15:15

David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) SNP

Amendment 232 is the first of my two amendments to the bill that seek to enable a resolution to the issue of access to Burntisland harbour. The Land Reform (...

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green

The key question at the heart of the bill is, does it address the battles over land rights, concentration of power, access and ownership across Scotland that...

Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

On behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, I put on record our thanks to David Torrance for lodging his amendments, because there is an important point of prin...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

I am interested in the points raised in Mark Ruskell’s amendments in relation to the Scottish outdoor access code. As he will well know, I have been trying t...

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

Through their amendments in this group, David Torrance and Mark Ruskell are trying to find a pragmatic way of addressing the current restrictions on public a...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Ms Baker, can you bring your remarks to a close, please?

Claire Baker Lab

I do not believe that the amendments are heavy handed or that they prejudge the outcome. Instead, they commission the proper review and determination that th...

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands (Mairi Gougeon) SNP

I will deal with amendments 232, 234 and 264 together, because they aim to achieve essentially the same thing, which is to place an obligation on landowners ...

David Torrance SNP

I welcome the cabinet secretary’s commitments and I recognise the legal issues around the amendments that I have proposed. Everything that the cabinet secret...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Group 2 is on the obligations to consider the public interest. Amendment 115, in the name of Rhoda Grant, is grouped with amendments 233, 129, 261, 43 to 45,...

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

Amendment 129 would ensure that the public interest was at the forefront of land management plans. Acting in the public interest is a well-understood concept...

Edward Mountain Con

My amendments in the group are to do with lifting the prohibition order. Amendment 43, if enacted, would add a general public interest ground. That would mea...

Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Ind

Does Mr Mountain agree with me that, if Ariane Burgess’s amendment had existed in law some years ago, the aluminium smelter at Fort William would have been s...

Edward Mountain Con

I am not sure that I will quite go with Fergus Ewing on that point. There is a question about the agreements that were made with the foreign owner to keep th...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

It is never a good idea to give the chair warning of the potential for incurring the chair’s wrath.

Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Green

This bill has been long in the making. Yet, after many hours of deliberation, it seems that it has not progressed much further from where it started. I remai...

Edward Mountain Con

Will the member take an intervention on that point?

Ariane Burgess Green

I will not take an intervention; I have a lot to get through and I think that we have time considerations. With increasing numbers of overseas investors loo...

Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I thank Community Land Scotland, which is here today, and the Scottish Parliament legislation team for their support in drafting my amendments in this group....

Mairi Gougeon SNP

I thank members for their contributions so far to the debate on this group. I will begin by responding directly to the amendments lodged by Ariane Burgess ...

Fergus Ewing Ind

Rather than creating division, bitterness, expense and bureaucracy with, one suspects, very little consequence if the bill passes in the end, would it not be...

Mairi Gougeon SNP

I must disagree with the case made by Fergus Ewing. He is absolutely right that some landowners do fantastic work. I know of some close to me who involve the...

Mercedes Villalba Lab

I will, of course, continue to engage, as I have already done, but I would like to hear the cabinet secretary explain what work she is committing the Scottis...

Mairi Gougeon SNP

I am sure the member recognises that this has been a long process. The focus has, quite rightly, been on delivering this legislation and the key measures wit...

Mercedes Villalba Lab

Will the cabinet secretary expand a little further on the threshold or bar for that evidence? I am hearing that, once the bill becomes an act, further eviden...

Mairi Gougeon SNP

That is not a fair assessment of what has been set out. The measures in the bill are an important step forward. Of course, when we introduce measures, we nee...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I call Rhoda Grant to wind up and to press or withdraw amendment 115.

Rhoda Grant Lab

I will wind up quickly. With regard to the public interest test, the aims that are highlighted in amendment 129 are the things that we desperately need for o...