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Who would be responsible for the arbitration of community engagement? Would that sit with the Land Commission as a whole?

Before we go to a break, I have a question. I got the impression that £5,000 was considered to be a good starting point for a potential fine. What would happen if the plan was not produced three months later and there was no reason for it not to be? Do you think that there should be a graduated fine? Would that help the legislation to achieve what is intended? Would that make it clear to people that they cannot just deal with a £5,000 fine because it is cheaper than spending the £15,000 that would be required to produce a plan? I do not know; it is just a question.

I almost caught you nodding there, Gemma Cooper. Do you agree?

My next question was going to be whether only large landowners should be prevented from performing the role or whether all landowners should be prevented from doing so. Can you see why the definition of a large landowner has been used, or do you think that that approach is based on a perception? Should we simply look for the best person to do the job?

That brings us to the end of the session. As we will continue to look at land reform for some time yet, if you would like to follow up on anything that you have said, or if there is anything that you missed, you can get in touch with the committee clerks and let them know.

Thank you for attending this morning’s meeting. There was one member who might have been joining us, but they have not done so. That brings us to the end of the public part of the meeting, and we now move into private.

That issue was quite extensively raised when the committee went to Aberfeldy and listened to the aspirations of the community there.

The next questions will come from Mark Ruskell.

Thank you. I am looking around the table and I see that Douglas Lumsden wants to come in.

As there do not appear to be any further questions, we move to agenda item 3, which is the debate on motion S6M-14755. No, it is not—I am sorry. Yes, it is. I am sorry—I almost confused myself, but I was not confused. Agenda item 3 is the debate on motion S6M-14755, which calls on the committee to recommend approval of the draft order.

Cabinet secretary, I invite you to move and speak to the motion.

I see that no member wishes to make a contribution. On that basis, I am not entirely convinced that you will need to sum up, cabinet secretary, but, if you want to, I have to give you the opportunity.

Agenda item 4 is an evidence-taking session on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill at stage 1. Today, the committee will hear from a panel representing landowners and land managers, with the focus on part 1 of the bill.

Malcolm Mathieson, convener of the Crofting Commission, was going to be here, too, but unfortunately he is unable to attend today, for very understandable reasons. We will try to work his attendance into another meeting.

I am pleased to welcome Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of Scottish Land & Estates; David Bean, Parliament and Government relations manager at the Countryside Alliance; and Gemma Cooper, head of policy at NFU Scotland.

As usual, I will declare my interests. I am a member of a family farming partnership in Moray, as set out in my entry in the register of members’ interests. I specifically declare an interest as owner of approximately 500 acres of farmland, of which about 50 acres is woodland. I am also a tenant of approximately 500 acres in Moray under a non-agricultural tenancy, which is an interesting permutation, and I have another farming tenancy under the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991. I sometimes take lets for grass on a short-term basis.

We have allowed just under two hours for this item, and we will move straight to questions. As convener, I will begin with some simple ones, which I will give all three of you a chance to answer. Is there a need for a further land reform bill? Will the bill improve transparency and strengthen the rights of communities? Does it reflect all the negotiations that took place before its introduction?

Who wants to kick off? I should say that if you all look away at the same time when I ask who wants to answer a question, I will pick the person who is the slowest to do so, so you will need to be really quick. [Laughter.] Sarah-Jane, as you did not look away, you will be first to go.