NFUS WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT ON CROFTING

NFU Scotland has welcomed the announcement from Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham that an occupancy requirement, which would mean houses built on former croft land have to be used as main residences, will not be included in any new Crofting Bill. The Minister was addressing a crofting meeting in Grantown-on-Spey today (Tuesday, 29 September).

Ms Cunningham also confirmed that there were no plans to end the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme and the Croft House Grants Scheme. These are schemes that deliver vital funding into crofting communities.

This announcement has addressed some of the primary concerns that NFU Scotland’s crofting members had expressed when consulted this summer on the draft bill and which NFUS raised in a private meeting with the Minister two weeks ago.

Attending the Grantown-on-Spey meeting, Mrs Jo Durno, chair of NFU Scotland’s Crofting & Highlands and Islands Committee said:

“When responding to the Scottish Government consultation on the draft Bill, we saw the merit in updating the legislation. However, following a widespread survey of our 700-crofting members, it was evident that there were huge concerns over much of what was originally proposed for inclusion.

“We had an opportunity to discuss those concerns in person with the Minister two weeks ago and last week, the Crofting and Highlands & Islands Committee sat down to go through the draft Bill again. At the Minister’s request, we will now be feeding in the committee’s thoughts on alternative approaches to tackling thorny subjects such as absenteeism as well as croft abandonment and neglect.

“Our crofting members have given us a clear steer on legislative changes needed to deliver their vision for crofting in the 21st century. We are committed to working with the Scottish Government to ensure that any legislative changes deliver for active crofters and take crofting communities forward.”