20 May 2013.
The Land Reform Review Group's interim report, and the analysis report of submissions received following the Call for Evidence, have been published and can be accessed on the Interim Report page via the Call for Evidence page.
Also, Dr Sarah Skerratt has, reluctantly, decided to step down as Vice Chair of the group, due to pressures of other work. Sarah said, “I would like to thank the Scottish Government for affording me the enormous privilege of being vice-chair of the Land Reform Review Group. The period of 10 months from August 2012-May 2013 has been one of learning, meeting committed people, seeing some great initiatives in rural and urban Scotland, and working alongside excellent Group and Adviser colleagues. Due to my promotion to scientific and strategic lead of a 30-strong research group at SRUC, I have made the extremely difficult decision to step down from the LRRG, in order to be able to concentrate full-time on the delivery of our on-going research. I wish Alison, and the wider LRRG, all the very best in continuing the important work of Land Review through its next phases.”
Dr Alison Elliot, Chair of the review group, said, "It's a huge disappointment, to me, that Sarah has decided to step down from the Review Group, but I completely understand her reasons for doing so. She has brought a wide understanding of rural Scotland, rigorous thinking and a wise perspective to the review. She will be extremely difficult to replace and we will have to consider carefully, how to take the work forward without her."
Mr Wheelhouse, Minister for Environment and Climate Change said, "I want to say how much I have valued Sarah’s contribution to the work of the review, and her wealth of knowledge has undoubtedly been a tremendous asset leading up to this stage. I offer Sarah my sincere thanks, and my personal congratulations on her promotion, and wish her very well for the future. I know she will keep a keen eye on how the group’s work develops as well as the wider rural policy issues in her new post."