This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Land Reform Bill passed by Parliament
23/01/2003
The Scottish Parliament tonight passed a Land Reform
Bill designed to extend community ownership of land, to
remove barriers to social economic and environmental
development, and to establish new rights of access.
The successful passage of the Bill, approved by a
majority of 101 votes to 19 after the longest legislative
session in the Parliament's history, was described by
Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie as
"a new beginning for Scotland's rural communities."
The Minister said:
"The people of Scotland have waited a long time for such
forward-thinking legislation The successful passage of the
Land Reform Bill marks the culmination of four years work
since the creation of the Land Reform Policy Group.
"For the first time, the Bill establishes a right of
responsible access to land and inland water for recreation
and passage. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code to be put out
to consultation will provide guidance on the rights and
responsibilities of public access to the countryside.
"The Land Reform Bill makes an important contribution
towards our policies on economic development and community
empowerment in Scotland's rural areas. It provides an
opportunity for communities to register an interest in and
then buy land. Community bodies registering an interest
will be eligible to apply for charitable status, exempting
them from liability for stamp duty on properties included
in the sale of land.
"The Bill decisively changes the balance of power
between the crofting community and the landowner by giving
the right to crofting communities to acquire and control
the croft land where they live and work, together with
other rights associated with that land.
"This will benefit all those who live in crofting
communities by giving them ownership rights over land on
which they may have depended for generations.
"Significantly, by modernising Scotland's ancient land
ownership laws, the Land Reform Bill establishes a new
right of access. These rights, by encouraging visitors to
the many beautiful and remote parts of Scotland, will bring
greater opportunities, energising communities through the
creation of new businesses to cater for the growing numbers
of visitors.
"This is an historic Bill and I welcome the overwhelming
support of the Scottish Parliament in bringing our land
ownership laws into the 21
st Century."