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Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

Please note:

All reference to 'Parts' and 'sections' are from the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016. For other versions of these Explanatory Notes, see More Resources.

  1. Introduction

  2. Commentary on Sections

    1. Part 1 – Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement

      1. Section 1 – Land rights and responsibilities statement

      2. Section 2 - Publication and review of land rights and responsibilities statement

      3. Section 3 – Duty to promote land rights and responsibilities statement

    2. Part 2 – the Scottish Land Commission

      1. Chapter 1 – the Commission

        1. Establishment

          1. Section 4 – The Scottish Land Commission

          2. Section 5 – Status

        2. Functions of the Commission

          1. Section 6 – Functions of the Commission

          2. Section 7 – General powers

        3. Strategic plan and programme of work

          1. Section 8 – Strategic plan

          2. Section 9 – Programme of work

        4. Membership

          1. Section 10 – Membership

          2. Section 11 – Eligibility for appointment

          3. Section 12 – Disqualification from membership

          4. Section 13 – Resignation and removal

        5. Remuneration and staff

          1. Section 14 – Remuneration, allowances and pensions

          2. Section 15 – Staff

        6. Operational matters

          1. Section 16 – Validity of things done

          2. Section 17 – Committees

          3. Section 18 – Regulation of procedure

        7. Accounts and annual report

          1. Section 19 – Accounts

          2. Section 20 – Annual report

        8. Application of public bodies legislation

          1. Section 21 – Application of legislation relating to public bodies

      2. Chapter 2 – the Land Commissioners

        1. Functions of the Land Commissioners

          1. Section 22 – Functions of the Land Commissioners

        2. Land Commissioners: delegation of functions

          1. Section 23 – Land Commissioners: delegation of functions

      3. Chapter 3 – the Tenant Farming Commissioner

        1. Functions of the Tenant Farming Commissioner

          1. Section 24 – Functions of the Tenant Farming Commissioner

          2. Section 25 – Tenant Farming Commissioner: delegation of functions

          3. Section 26 – Acting Tenant Farming Commissioner

        2. Tenant Farming Commissioner: codes of practice

          1. Section 27 – Tenant Farming Commissioner: codes of practice

          2. Section 28 – Tenant Farming Commissioner: promotion of codes of practice

        3. Tenant Farming Commissioner: inquiry function

          1. Section 29 – Application to inquire into breach of code of practice

          2. Section 30 – Procedure for inquiry

          3. Section 31 – Enforcement powers

          4. Section 32 – Notice of non-compliance penalty

          5. Section 33 – Report on inquiry

          6. Section 34 – Tenant Farming Commissioner: confidentiality of information

          7. Section 35 – Protection from actions for defamation

          8. Section 36 – Report on operation of agent of landlords and tenants

          9. Section 37 – Recommendations by Tenant Farming Commissioner for modern list of improvements

        4. Tenant Farming Commissioner: power to refer questions of law to Land Court

          1. Section 38 – Referral of questions of law by Tenant Farming Commissioner to Land Court

    3. Part 3 – Information about Control of Land Etc.

      1. Information about persons with controlling interests in relation to land

        1. Section 39 - Information about persons with controlling interests in owners and tenants of land

        2. Section 40 - Procedure for first regulations under section 39

        3. Section 41 - Procedure for first regulations under section 39: consultation

        4. Section 42 - Procedure for first regulations under section 39; explanatory document

      2. Information relating to proprietors of land etc.

        1. Section 43 – Power of Keeper to request or require information relating to proprietors of land etc.

    4. Part 4 – Engaging Communities in Decisions Relating to Land

      1. Section 44 – Guidance on engaging communities in decisions relating to land

    5. Part 5 – Right to Buy Land to Further Sustainable Development

      1. Key terms

        1. Section 45 – Meaning of “land”

        2. Section 46 – Eligible land

        3. Section 47 – Eligible land: salmon fishings and mineral rights

        4. Section 48 – Eligible land: tenant’s interests

        5. Section 49 – Part 5 community bodies

        6. Section 50 – Provisions supplementary to section 49

        7. Section 51 – Interpretation of Part

      2. Register of Applications by Community Bodies to Buy Land

        1. Section 52 – Register of Applications by Community Bodies to Buy Land

        2. Section 53 – Inclusion in New Register of applications for right to buy abandoned, neglected or detrimental land

      3. Applications for consent

        1. Section 54 – Right to buy: application for consent

        2. Section 55 – Right to buy: application procedure

        3. Section 56 – Right to buy: Ministers’ decision on application

        4. Section 57 – Ballot to indicate approval for purposes of section 56

        5. Section 58 – Right to buy same land exercisable by only one Part 5 community body

        6. Section 59 – Consent conditions

        7. Section 60 – Notification of Ministers’ decision on application

      4. Procedure following consent

        1. Section 61 – Effect of Ministers’ decision on right to buy

        2. Section 62 – Confirmation of intention to proceed with purchase and withdrawal

        3. Section 63 – Completion of purchase

        4. Section 64 – completion of transfer

        5. Section 65 – Assessment of value of land etc.

        6. Section 66 – Acquisition of interest of tenant over land: allocation of rents etc.

      5. Compensation

        1. Section 67 – Compensation

        2. Section 68 – Grants towards liabilities to pay compensation

      6. Appeals and references

        1. Section 69 – Appeals to sheriff

        2. Section 70 – Appeals to Lands Tribunal: valuation

        3. Section 71 – Reference to Lands Tribunal of questions on applications

        4. Section 72 – Agreement as to matters appealed

      7. Mediation

        1. Section 73 – Mediation

    6. Part 6 – Entry in Valuation Roll of Shootings and Deer Forests

      1. Section 74 – Repeal of exclusion of shootings and deer forests from valuation roll

      2. Section 75 – Valuation of shootings and deer forests

      3. Section 76 – Net annual value of deer forests

    7. Part 7 – Common Good Land

      1. Section 77 – Change of use of land forming part of the common good

    8. Part 8 – Deer Management

      1. Section 78 – Functions of deer panels

      2. Section 79– Review of compliance with code of practice on deer management

      3. Section 80 – Deer management plans

      4. Section 81 – Power to require return on number of deer planned to be killed

      5. Section 82 - Increase in penalty for failure to comply with control scheme

    9. Part 9 – Access Rights

      1. Core paths

        1. Section 83 – Core paths plans

      2. Court applications

        1. Section 84 – Access rights: service of court applications

    10. Part 10 – Agricultural Holdings

      1. Chapter 1 – Modern Limited Duration Tenancies

        1. Modern limited duration tenancies

          1. Section 85 – Modern limited duration tenancies: creation

          2. Section 86 – Modern limited duration tenancies: subletting

          3. Section 87 – Modern limited duration tenancies: termination and continuation

          4. Section 88 – Modern limited duration tenancies: fixed equipment

          5. Section 89 – Modern limited duration tenancies: irritancy

        2. Conversion of 1991 Act tenancies

          1. Section 90 – Conversion of 1991 Act tenancies into modern limited duration tenancies

          2. Section 91 - Conversion of limited duration tenancies into modern limited duration tenancies

      2. Chapter 2– Repairing Tenancies

        1. Section 92 – Repairing tenancies: creation

        2. Section 93 – subletting

        3. Section 94 – Repairing tenancies: termination, continuation and extension

        4. Section 95 – Repairing tenancies: fixed equipment

        5. Section 96 – Repairing tenancies: resumption of land by landlord

        6. Section 97 – Repairing tenancies: irritancy

        7. Section 98 – Repairing tenancies: compensation

      3. Chapter 3 – Tenant’s Right to Buy

        1. Section 99 – Tenant’s right to buy: removal of requirement to register

      4. Chapter 4 – Sale Where Landlord in Breach

        1. Section 100 – Sale to tenant or third party where landlord in breach of order or award

      5. Chapter 5  – Rent Review

        1. 1991 Act tenancies: rent review

        2. Limited duration tenancies, modern limited duration tenancies and repairing tenancies: rent review

          1. Section 102 – Limited duration tenancies, modern limited duration tenancies and repairing tenancies: rent review

      6. Chapter 6 – Assignation of and Succession to Agricultural Tenancies

        1. Assignation

          1. Section 103 – Assignation of 1991 Act tenancies

          2. Section 104 – Assignation of limited duration tenancies

          3. Section 105 – Assignation of modern limited duration tenancies

          4. Section 106 – Assignation of repairing tenancies

        2. Succession

          1. Section 107 – Bequest of 1991 Act tenancies

          2. Section 108 – Limited duration tenancies, modern limited duration tenancies and repairing tenancies: succession

        3. Landlord’s objection to tenant’s successor

          1. Section 109 – Objection by landlord to legatee or acquirer on intestacy

      7. Chapter 7 – Relinquishing and Assignation of 1991 Act Tenancies

        1. Section 110– Tenant’s offer to relinquish 1991 Act tenancy

        2. Section 111 – Tenant’s offer to relinquish 1991 Act tenancy: consequential modifications

      8. Chapter 8 – Compensation for Tenant’s Improvements

        1. Amnesty for tenant’s improvements

          1. Section 112 – Amnesty for certain improvements by tenant

          2. Section 113 – Amendment of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Acts

          3. Section 114 – Amnesty notice

        2. Objection to amnesty notice and referral to Land Court

          1. Section 115 – Objection by landlord

          2. Section 116 – Referral to Land Court

        3. Agreements made during amnesty period

          1. Section 117 – Amnesty agreements

          2. Section 118 – Arbitration and other dispute resolution

      9. Chapter 9 – Improvements by Landlord

        1. Section 119 – Notice required for certain improvements by landlord

        2. Section 120 – Rent increase for certain improvements by landlord

      10. Chapter 10 – Diversification

        1. Section 121 – Use of land for non-agricultural purposes: objection to notice of diversification

        2. Section 122 – Use of land for non-agricultural purposes: requests for information

      11. Chapter 11 – Irritancy for Non-Payment of Rent

        1. Section 123 – Irritancy for non-payment of rent

    11. Part 11 – Small Landholdings

      1. Section 124 – Review of small landholdings legislation

    12. Part 12 – General and Miscellaneous

      1. Section 125 – General interpretation

      2. Section 126 – Subordinate legislation

      3. Section 127 – Ancillary provision

      4. Section 128 – Crown application

      5. Section 129 – Minor and consequential modifications

      6. Section 130 – Commencement

      7. Section 131 – Short title

  3. Schedules

  4. Parliamentary History

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

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Explanatory Notes

Text created by the Scottish Government to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Acts of the Scottish Parliament except those which result from Budget Bills.

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