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You do not think that it is right that every—

Our second item of business is an evidence session on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. Today, the committee will hear from a panel of commentators and researchers with an interest in land reform. The main focus today is on part 1 of the bill.

I am pleased to welcome Magnus Linklater, a journalist, who is joining us online; Laurie Macfarlane, co-director of the think tank Future Economy Scotland; Peter Peacock, formerly an MSP and minister here, former leader of the Highland Council and also formerly a policy director at Community Land Scotland; and Andy Wightman, formerly an MSP and now a researcher—I think that you are more than a researcher—for the Who Owns Scotland project. Thanks for accepting the invitation to be here.

I am pleased to also welcome Rhoda Grant, who will have a chance to ask some questions at the end.

As I have done in every session, before I start, I remind members that I have an interest in a family farming partnership in Moray, as set out in my entry in the register of members’ interests. Specifically, I declare an interest in approximately 500 acres of farmland, of which 50 acres are woodland. I am also a tenant of approximately 500 acres in Moray under a non-agricultural tenancy arrangement, and I have another farming tenancy under the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991. I also occasionally take on annual grass lets.

We will move straight to questions. My first question is a warm-up question for all the witnesses. We seem to go through land reform bills every 10 years or so. Is this bill needed, and will it achieve what it sets out to achieve? We will start with Andy Wightman.

Yes, you are getting off topic. I think that you were saying that the changes have been very small.

Kevin Stewart wants to come in with a supplementary when Douglas Lumsden has finished.

Before you answer that, you have experience of forestry and how community consultation on forestry plans goes, so it would be helpful if you could explain the differences or similarities that you see between the two.

It is the balance that is the issue—it is about ensuring that the land and communities commissioner has the same free spirit as the tenant farming commissioner, and not making the commissioner a regulatory body. Andy Wightman has some concerns, as well.

Magnus Linklater, do you want to come in briefly?

Mark Ruskell, is your question very succinct?

Okay. Laurie, do you have anything to add to that?

Monica Lennon has the next set of questions, and a follow-up to that one.

I am just concerned that if some areas are designated as being suitable only for community purchase, it blights the value of the land. However, as an ex-surveyor, I would say that.