Skip to main content

Language: English / Gàidhlig

Loading…

Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

Filter your results Hide all filters

Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 29 November 2024
Select which types of business to include


Select level of detail in results

Displaying 4051 contributions

|

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

Since land reform started, the number of agricultural tenancies has declined. As an agricultural tenant, I do not think that that is a great thing. I would like to see more land being made available for people to farm. Every time that the legislation has changed, landlords are put off from doing that. Is that not a fair assessment?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

I have some questions about improvements and sustainable regenerative agriculture and how you value waygo compensation. When I was a surveyor, I found waygo to be the most difficult thing that I ever did, so having a formulaic process is quite good. Is it easy with sustainable and regenerative agriculture to have a formulaic waygo valuation?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

I can see merit in getting that sorted out quickly, and for stopping the arguments on restricted and unrestricted market values and all the other things that are part of the waygo conversation, including the use of fodder and whether that is to be put back on the holding, and all the other technical issues that are of interest to me but I am sure will not interest other people.

Douglas Lumsden, it is definitely your turn now.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

Thank you very much for that. I thank our witnesses for attending and sharing their views. That concludes the public part of our meeting.

We will continue to take evidence on the bill for a long time—up until Christmas, at least. The committee will be stepping outside the committee room to engage with people. The first event will be at the Royal Highland Show, where there will be a panel that includes Andy Wightman, so there will be a chance to engage with him on this subject, as well as the other panellists.

11:13 Meeting continued in private until 12:18.  

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

We go back to the deputy convener. [Interruption.] Do you have a supplementary on the issue, Jackie?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

I want to go back to the issue of rent, which has always been a difficult one. In my day, it was a question of sitting around a table with a cup of tea and working out what was best and what was acceptable to both parties. I think that that is the way that it worked. There are certain formulaic provisions in the bill, the need for which I understand, but there is something that I do not understand. You are making some changes, but farming has changed a lot since 1991. House letting might be vitally importantly—it certainly is to my farming enterprise, in enabling costs to be offset by letting redundant cottages on the farm—but no account is taken of that in the rent. Is that fair and right?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

If housing legislation were to come in that made various stipulations about what the letting conditions on the housing would have to be, it would fall to the landlord to meet those conditions, and the landlord would then expect to receive an increase in rent if the housing was being used for non-agricultural purposes. Is that what you are saying?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

It will not be resolved as part of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill process, so we will have no idea of whether a rent is appropriate.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

I understand that, but my concern is that, as I understand it, the bill makes that a matter to be resolved between the landlord and the tenant, even though it might be a third party that is responsible for the damage. Should that be tightened up?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Edward Mountain

It might not even be a case of leasing to a third party. The wild animals might be being transferred from another landholder’s holding. That is the issue that I am trying to understand. The bill seems to put the obligation on the landlord when the landlord has no control.