'Modernised and simplified' crofting legislation approved

The Scottish government says new legislation passed at Holyrood will modernise and simplify crofting, a traditional system of small-scale farming.

About 30,000 people live in crofting households across parts of Argyll and Bute, Highlands, Moray, Northern Isles and Western Isles.

There have been laws governing the sector since 1886 and the new bill updates legislation from 1993 and 2010.

The new bill will see the Scottish Land Court and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland - bodies dealing with different kinds of disputes - merged into a "single, more efficient" organisation, according to the Scottish government.

It will also introduce a new process for fast-tracking the transfer of a croft between family members and gives the Crofting Commission new powers to protect croft land.

MSPs debated final amendments to the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill before voting on the legislation on Tuesday.

Following the debate, Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said: "Crofting sits at the heart of the culture and heritage of the Highlands and Islands, sustaining many communities, and supporting the jobs and businesses for many people.

"At its heart this bill is about tackling the modern challenges faced by crofters.

"This is needed if we want to ensure the sustainability of crofting and crofting communities in the long-term and enable a new generation of crofters to thrive for years to come."

Absenteeism has been an issue affecting crofting in the past.

Tenant and owner-occupier crofters have a duty to be resident on or live within about 20 miles (32km) of their croft, and to keep it maintained.

During earlier debates on the new bill, Labour MSP Rhoda Grant raised concerns the system allowing crofters to seek consent to be absent from their crofts was being misused and she asked for the rules be tightened.

Fairlie said the current procedures encouraged "transparency" but agreed to further discussions.

Under the new legislation, the Scottish Land Court - which deals with disputes between landlords and tenants in farming - and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland, which handles disputes over land or property, will be merged.

The new body will retain the name Scottish Land Court.

The law will also give people the right to appeal to the new court if the Crofting Commission, the sector's governing body, decided to change or cancel permission for the sub-letting of a croft because duties or conditions had been broken.