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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

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

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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 26 April 2025
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Displaying 2643 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

Yes. I want to ask about the witnesses’ views on resumption—in other words, a landlord’s ability to take back land under a tenancy agreement before the lease is concluded. I think that Ms Watt and Mr Dunlop both have concerns about the provisions in the bill.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

You have already mentioned last week’s evidence from the Scottish Land Commission, which is concerned about the imbalance between compensation that is available on resumption and those who are offered an incontestable notice to quit. Ms Watt, do you want to comment on that?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

Does that reflect patterns in changing land use and diversification? Another example that comes to mind relates to a solar farm. There might still be an element of agricultural operation, but it might be quite different, and there would be the lease for the generation.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

Possibly, and then I will move to the next question. Mr Dunlop, does your last point not make the case for a model environmental lease? You said that it is very difficult to crowbar environmental improvements into standard agricultural leases.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

Do Ms Watt or Mr Colquhoun have anything to add?

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Topical Question Time

Meeting date: 18 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

The Government’s commitment to a solar target is welcome, but does the minister agree that it would be a missed opportunity if that target was met only through solar farms? Household solar battery and storage systems cut electricity bills and transport costs and enable householders to secure preferential electricity tariffs. Does the minister recognise that there are wider benefits and will she commit to ensuring that loan funding is there for both solar PV and batteries, even if it remains conditional on also decarbonising heating systems?

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 13 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

The picture across Wales is now absolutely clear: its 20mph national roll-out has reduced casualties by a third. The Tories seem to care very little about road safety, proposing a bill that would roll back on 20mph limits. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that there is no such rollback in Scotland, that funding will be there for councils to implement their plans next year and that, as part of that, a national communications plan will also be rolled out, learning from the Welsh experience of a 20mph national roll-out?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

I would like to explore the difference between the transfer test in the bill, which applies to the seller prior to sale, and what you wanted to see in the bill, which was a public interest test that is applied as the land is being sold and which puts conditions on the future ownership. Will you comment on that, please?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

Okay. You have covered this in relation to land management plans, but should the transfer test also apply to aggregate landholdings that are over 1,000 hectares?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 11 June 2024

Mark Ruskell

Regarding the transfer test applying to large landholdings, the bill refers to holdings that are over 1,000 hectares. Do you see an argument for reducing that? If so, why?