Call for Commission to go and fresh areas to be designated to attract new entrants
Crofting’s future in doubt without radical action, MSPs told
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Radical action is needed to save the crofting industry in Scotland from its “perilous state”, Environment Minister Mike Russell has warned.
The minister said yesterday there was a “clear and present danger in terms of the future of crofting”.
He added: “I do think radical action is required.”
Mr Russell spoke out as MSPs at Holyrood debated a new report on the way forward for the sector.
A committee of inquiry on crofting, chaired by Professor Mark Shucksmith, was set up to look at the future for crofting.
While the committee was set up by the previous Scottish Executive, Mr Russell said when he took up his post last year he had encouraged it to be radical. He said: “I believe radical change is needed to reverse years of decline.”
As one of its recommendations the committee called for the Crofters Commission, responsible for overseeing crofting legislation and developing crofting, to be abolished. It suggested the commission be replaced by a Federation of Crofting Boards, which would consist of up to 10 elected local crofting boards.
In addition, the report said development of crofting should be the responsibility of a new crofting and community development body, which would ideally be part of Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Mr Russell said the committee made “bold recommendations” in relation to a variety of issues affecting the sector, including land and the environment, the rural economy, housing, crofting regulation and on attracting new entrants into crofting.
He told MSPs he would consider the report “very carefully” over the summer and announced there would be a detailed response after that.
The minister also told MSPs the Scottish Government was “minded” to designate new areas for crofting tenure in Arran, Bute, Greater and Little Cumbrae and parts of the Moray Council and Highland Council areas – as proposed in a previous consultation.
Labour's Sarah Boyack described the recommendations in the Shucksmith report as “radical” and “far-reaching”.
Ms Boyack, Labour’s rural affairs spokeswoman, went on: “The report’s analysis is spot on and we need to make sure we have widespread consultation and consideration.”
Ms Boyack concluded by telling MSPs that the report was a “fantastic vision for the future”.
For the Tories, John Scott said: “Scottish Conservatives in particular welcome the determination to address absenteeism and neglect, which has sadly affected much crofting land in the past.”
For the Liberal Democrats, Tavish Scott told MSPs: “Any reform must be about securing food production, cattle and sheep in the crofting counties. Livestock means families, families mean schools, and schools mean a future for islands, glens, the high hills of Scotland.”
