Hansard

I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests: I have a small farm, albeit that it is not a croft.

Crofting is one of the defining features of life in the Highlands and Islands. I am certainly not the first to say it, but crofting is not simply a system of land tenure; it is a way of sustaining communities, supporting rural families and protecting landscapes. It is a core part of Highland culture. For generations, crofters have helped to shape the character of some of the most fragile and beautiful parts of our country, and their contribution to our rural economy and food production remains enormously important. That is why legislation that affects crofting matters deeply to the communities that rely on it—to my constituents in the Highlands and Islands.

As I said at stage 1, there are elements of the bill that I welcome. It provides a number of useful technical clarifications and procedural improvements to existing crofting legislation. In particular, it attempts to streamline processes, improve transparency and modernise some administrative tasks. There was also constructive engagement between the Scottish Government and stakeholders prior to the bill’s publication, which is worth recognising.

However, although the bill contains worthwhile measures, it is important that we are honest about what it is and what it is not. This is not the comprehensive reform of crofting law that many people expected it to be. Members may remember that this Parliament undertook a review of crofting in 2017. At that point, there was an expectation across crofting communities that a full and meaningful modernisation of the framework would follow; yet, here we are, almost a decade later, considering legislation that makes only partial and technical changes.

That reality was recognised by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in its stage 1 report, which highlighted the continued importance of crofting and the cultural, economic and social benefits that it brings to rural Scotland. However, the committee also recognised that the deeper structural questions around crofting law remain unresolved. Many crofters tell me that the legal framework surrounding crofting remains complex, fragmented and, at times, difficult to navigate. The bill does not fundamentally address those challenges, and leaves wider questions about the future of crofting largely unanswered.

Crofting has always been about active land management. The primary purpose of a crofting business, for me, remains agricultural activity. Through that activity, crofters contribute not only to food production but also to biodiversity, habitat enhancement, carbon sequestration and the maintenance of the landscapes that define the Highlands and Islands. There are legitimate concerns, which were raised during scrutiny of the bill, about the land being used solely for environmental purposes without active management. Environmental benefits are important, but they must not come at the cost of abandonment or absenteeism. Crofting land should not simply become a passive landscape under the banner of rewilding or habitat creation. I do not feel that we have yet asked communities what that would mean for them.

Active occupation and active land management are at the heart of what crofting means. That brings us to a broader question that the Parliament will eventually have to confront: what does crofting mean in 21st-century Scotland? I have said this before, but it is worth repeating: crofting is not just about land use; it is about the people, the families and those remote rural areas. It is about sustaining Gaelic culture and local traditions, and supporting fragile communities that might otherwise face depopulation.

In many parts of the Highlands and Islands, crofting provides the foundation for community life. Schools, local services and small businesses often depend on the stability that it provides. If we are serious about tackling rural depopulation in the Highlands and Islands, crofting must remain a part of the solution. Therefore, although I absolutely support this bill and what it brings, I see it as only a first step. The next Government must commit to the fuller review of crofting law for which crofters have been waiting for many years, and I am pleased that the minister just confirmed that. We cannot again provide only an update, because crofting deserves more than that piecemeal reform. It deserves a clear, modern and coherent framework that protects its traditions while ensuring that it can thrive in the decades ahead.

Before I finish, I am acutely aware that we have three people doing their final speeches today. Although my colleague Jamie Halcro Johnston will also talk about that later on, I express my personal thanks to Rhoda Grant. Rhoda, it has been a pleasure to serve with you on the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. You are a determined and principled voice for the Highlands and Islands, and we will deeply miss you.

I do not want to say this on the public record, but Richard Leonard was a slight crush of mine during his early days as leader of the Scottish Labour Party—in a good way! I did not agree with what you said, Richard, but every time that you stood up to speak, the determination that you brought in your passion for workers’ rights was quite something to behold. I do not necessarily agree with you, but, to this day, I am captivated by what you say whenever you stand up, Richard Leonard.

Members: Oh!