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'Radical' Scottish land reform plan unveiled 'Radical' Scottish land reform plan unveiled
(about 9 hours later)
The Scottish government is to publish "radical" proposals aimed at widening the ownership of land across the country. The Scottish government has published "radical" proposals aimed at widening the ownership of land across the country.
It has been estimated that half of the privately-owned land in Scotland is controlled by just 432 people. It has been estimated that half of the privately-owned land in Scotland is controlled by 432 people.
The Land Reform Bill is expected to end tax relief for shooting estates and to force the sale of land if its owners are blocking economic development. The Land Reform Bill will end tax relief for shooting estates and to force the sale of land if its owners are blocking economic development.
But it has been described as a "land grab" by opponents. However, it has been described as a "land grab" by opponents.
Landowners on sporting estates, such as grouse shooting, stopped paying business rates in 1994 after being given an exemption by then prime minister John Major's Conservative government.Landowners on sporting estates, such as grouse shooting, stopped paying business rates in 1994 after being given an exemption by then prime minister John Major's Conservative government.
The Scottish government has previously said the tax exemption was unfair and must end. The Scottish government had previously said the tax exemption was unfair and must end.
Community buyouts
It has proposed using the additional money raised by ending the tax exemption to treble the Scottish Land Fund - which is used to help support community buyouts of land - from £3m this year to £10m a year from 2016.It has proposed using the additional money raised by ending the tax exemption to treble the Scottish Land Fund - which is used to help support community buyouts of land - from £3m this year to £10m a year from 2016.
But landowners have claimed re-introducing the rates could make some sporting estates unprofitable and force gamekeepers out of work.But landowners have claimed re-introducing the rates could make some sporting estates unprofitable and force gamekeepers out of work.
Nicola Sturgeon set out the land reform proposals shortly after becoming Scotland's first minister in November of last year.Nicola Sturgeon set out the land reform proposals shortly after becoming Scotland's first minister in November of last year.
She said at the time that "Scotland's land must be an asset that benefits the many, not the few".She said at the time that "Scotland's land must be an asset that benefits the many, not the few".
Among the other proposals expected to be included in the bill are measures to clarify information about land, its ownership and its value, with a Scottish Land Reform Commission also to be set up to make recommendations on future reforms. Among the other proposals in the bill are measures to clarify information about land, its ownership and its value, with a Scottish Land Reform Commission being set up to make recommendations on future reforms.
The Scottish government has set a target of doubling the amount of land in community ownership from the current 500,000 acres to one million acres by 2020.The Scottish government has set a target of doubling the amount of land in community ownership from the current 500,000 acres to one million acres by 2020.
'Singled out''Singled out'
It has held a 10-week consultation on its proposals.It has held a 10-week consultation on its proposals.
David Johnstone, chairman of Scottish Land and Estates, which speaks for private landowners, has previously said that sporting estates were "too readily singled out in a negative light", when in fact he said "they were businesses that made a key contribution to rural tourism, local employment and the environment". David Johnstone, chairman of Scottish Land and Estates, which speaks for private landowners, had previously said that sporting estates were "too readily singled out in a negative light", when in fact "they were businesses that made a key contribution to rural tourism, local employment and the environment".
And the Scottish Conservatives have also criticised the government's proposed reforms as "a Big Brother-style land grab".And the Scottish Conservatives have also criticised the government's proposed reforms as "a Big Brother-style land grab".
But speaking ahead of the bill's publication in the Scottish Parliament, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead, defended the Scottish government's approach.But speaking ahead of the bill's publication in the Scottish Parliament, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead, defended the Scottish government's approach.
He said: "This is not about land grabs, this is about sorting out those areas where quite clearly economic development in this country, which is after all in the public interest, is being hampered by who owns the land and how it's managed."He said: "This is not about land grabs, this is about sorting out those areas where quite clearly economic development in this country, which is after all in the public interest, is being hampered by who owns the land and how it's managed."
He argued that ministers "should have the tools to intervene" on behalf of the people of Scotland to "make sure that communities are able to have much more say over their own destinies, their own futures."He argued that ministers "should have the tools to intervene" on behalf of the people of Scotland to "make sure that communities are able to have much more say over their own destinies, their own futures."