Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 24 March 2026 [Draft]
24 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3
We move to closing speeches.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-21104, in the name of Jim Fairlie, on the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill at stage 3. I invite memb...
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
From the crofters uprisings in the late 1880s to the Crofters Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886 and the 10 major acts of Parliament on crofting that have been del...
Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
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 featur...
Tim Eagle
Con
You see why I did not want to say that on the public record.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
I am rather relieved that you did not say that through the chair, Mr Eagle.
Tim Eagle
Con
My apologies, Presiding Officer.Finally, I thank my colleague Edward Mountain, who has been an incredible campaigner for rural Scotland. This Parliament will...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Tim Eagle for his kind remarks. There will be a lot of thank yous in this contribution, because I also want to thank all those who helped us with our...
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
Crofting is a vital part of Scotland’s cultural and social heritage, as well as its future. It is a social and economic glue that holds rural and island comm...
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
I am pleased to speak for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill at stage 3. I, too, thank the Rural Affairs and Islands...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
We move to the open debate.17:22
Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased that my final speech in this session of Parliament is about such an important subject to my constituents as crofting. I, too, pay tribute to the...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
As this will be my last speech in the Parliament, I hope that the minister will excuse me if I touch only briefly on the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bil...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
We move to closing speeches.17:30
Ariane Burgess
Green
I pay tribute to some of the members who have spoken today and who are stepping down. I hope that I do not pick up the tears that my colleague Edward Mountai...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
This is my last speech to Parliament as a member, after 10 years. As a back bencher and a front bencher, as a party leader and a committee convener, I have a...
Jamie Halcro Johnston (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Now for something different. I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of interests, as a partner in a farming business, a member of Scottish Lan...
Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will the member give way?
Jamie Halcro Johnston
Con
Not if the member is going to demonstrate a crush.
Stephen Kerr
Con
I do not have a crush on Richard Leonard, but I have known him for more than 40 years. He has lost none of his fire, passion and principle, and, for that rea...
Jamie Halcro Johnston
Con
I agree with that. I served with Richard Leonard on the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee in session 5, and, although I accept that his politics and mine...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
I call the minister to wind up the debate.17:46
Jim Fairlie
SNP
In closing the debate, I take a final opportunity to thank all the stakeholders who contributed to the development of the bill. As I said in my opening remar...
Rhoda Grant
Lab
Although the minister did not promise an overarching bill, his predecessors did, and it was supposed to be introduced in the last parliamentary session, not ...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I reiterate the point that I just made: the 2017 consultation was split on what the bill should deliver, which is why the bill is one that makes technical fi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
That concludes the debate on the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill at stage 3.