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We will go back to Monica Lennon for the rest of her questions.

We will go to Andy first, and then Magnus.

One of the problems of having ex-politicians in is that they expand the answer to the question to fill the time. Andy, I read your article on royal burghs and community wealth, most of which has been sold off, so the wealth did not stay in the communities. You cannot blame anyone for that, apart, perhaps, from the communities that had it.

Magnus, do you want to come in?

Thank you. We have a whole heap of questions. The first question was a soft introductory question and I allowed lengthy contributions, but I cannot do that for every question. I encourage short questions and short answers, and we will see how we go. Mark Ruskell is first.

Yes.

Bob Doris is next with some follow-up questions.

Before we leave this issue, I want to go back to something that was questioned earlier. Lotting is triggered if you have an estate of a certain size, and you want to sell something off.

On one of our visits, we heard that there are often numerous different sales going on—houses or little bits of ground for a pony paddock or an extension to the garden—but, under the bill, if somebody came along and asked an estate whether it would sell them their house, the estate has to say absolutely nothing, pull the shutters down and contact the Scottish ministers. Is that progressive or is that overkill?

It is usually done based on the information that you have about who wants what. There might be an argument for selling the whole estate, so that you have one buyer and it is easier, and then you can let that person break it up and sell it on at a profit, or carry the risk if they get left with it.

The question of costs is the never-ending question. We have a financial memorandum that will say that the costs are relatively small. If there is compensation for lotting, surely the cost could be massive. Do you want to come in on that, Magnus?

Andy, I do not know if you were leaning forward to comment on the compensation issue and the question whether there could be a huge bill if lotting was done in a certain way.

On whether the skills that have been specified for the land and communities commissioner are sufficient, and on whether large landowners should be excluded from being appointed as commissioner?