Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 Explanatory Notes

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

  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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