« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Scottish Ministers announced that an independent Committee of Inquiry on Crofting ( CoIoC) would be established in September 2006, during the passage of the Crofting Reform etc. (Scotland) Bill 2006 through Parliament. The CoIoC was tasked with developing a vision for the future of crofting and making recommendations for administrative or legislative changes that would be needed to realise that vision.
1.2 In May 2008, the ColoC published its final report. 3 The report made a number of recommendations in six key areas. These were:
- Land and environment
- Strong rural economies
- Affordable housing
- Governance
- Regulation and enforcement
- Young people and new entrants.
1.3 In October 2008, the Government published its response to the final report of the ColoC. 4
1.4 Chapters 2 to 6 of this consultation document deal with the proposals in the Government's response to the final report of the ColoC that require changes in crofting legislation. These are:
- Governance
- Crofting Register
- Support for Croft Housing
- Occupancy Requirement
- Crofting Regulation.
1.5 Each chapter provides the background to the proposals and explains each of them in more detail. It highlights the issues for consideration and includes consultation questions. A form is provided inside this document to enable people to respond with their views. Each chapter also includes a draft Regulatory and Equality Impact Assessment, which considers the impact of the proposals on individuals, businesses and public bodies.
1.6 Chapter 7 is the draft Bill itself, with explanatory notes.
1.7 Chapter 8 provides an update on the other recommendations made in the final report of the ColoC, which do not require changes in legislation.
1.8 Chapter 9 explains how the consultation on the draft Bill will work and how comments should be submitted.
« Previous | Contents | Next »