| 8.
Issues for Further Study |
| 8.1 There
are aspects of land reform which will require further
work, either to sort out the technical implications or to
explore whether or not some ideas should be pursued. It
is hoped that this further work can be taken forward on
as open a basis as possible, through the commissioning of
research and development work from universities and other
consultancy sources, and through a continuation of
structured dialogue with all interests. |
| 8.2 The
Land Reform Policy Group has identified the following
possible agenda for further study and development. |
| |
| Public assistance |
- The best means of
streamlining public assistance supporting land
uses, of making it more user-friendly and
providing more information about recipients
should be systematically followed up. The scope
for making more information readily available
about public assistance relating to land should
also be studied; and the scope for making such
public assistance conditional on compliance with
the Code of Practice on rural land use, on
consistency with rural development strategies, on
information about such assistance being made
public, and on community consultation should be
investigated on a scheme by scheme basis.
|
| |
| Planning |
- Evaluation of the
impact of new planning guidance on rural
development should be undertaken, with a view to
further fine-tuning as necessary.
|
| |
| Compulsory purchase |
- Following the
comprehensive review of compulsory purchase and
compensation legislation currently under way, the
implications for Scottish legislation should be
considered.
|
| |
| Protection |
- There should be
investigation of the legal scope and nature of
possible legislation to give greater protection
for those who own property built on leased land.
|
| |
| Law of the foreshore and seabed |
- The Scottish Law
Commission should be invited to undertake a
comprehensive review of the law of the foreshore
and seabed, with a view to reform.
|
| |
| Information about land |
- There should be
further study of the best and most cost-effective
ways of making information about land ownership
as comprehensive as possible.
|
| |
| Land taxation |
- The scope for
abolishing national non-domestic rate relief on
sporting land and for reducing or abolishing
national non-domestic rate relief on agriculture
and forestry should be considered further, in the
light of current and prospective economic
circumstances. The economic impact should be
thoroughly evaluated before any change is made.
- A comprehensive
economic evaluation of the possible impact of
moving in the longer term to a land value
taxation basis should be undertaken.
|
| |
| Crofting |
- Research should be
undertaken on the most appropriate arrangements
for bringing crofting regulation into local
community control. Using the community planning
process, a regulatory framework could be set
within which the Crofters Commission would
operate, with decisions on individual regulatory
cases devolved to local community bodies wherever
possible.
|
| |
| Deer control |
- In the light of
further experience, the need for stronger
enforcement of deer control measures by the Deer
Commission for Scotland should be reviewed.
|
| 8.3 The
comprehensive land reform agenda would be much enhanced
by an ongoing research and development programme of this
sort. |
