Question reference: S6W-25502
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 26 February 2024
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Current status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 March 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the 2020 opinion of the Court of Session regarding the respective rights of the landowner of a common grazing and the crofters in relation to the use of the land, whether it plans to take action to ensure that crofters can (a) carry out peatland restoration on common grazings and (b) have ownership of any carbon credits associated with such peatland restoration, and, if so, what processes it would need to follow to implement any legislative changes required to achieve this, particularly in relation to sections 19A and 50B of the Crofting (Scotland) Act 1993 as amended by the Crofting Reform etc. Act 2007.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that crofters can benefit from investment in projects such as peatland restoration and woodland creation, particularly when carried out on common grazing land, much of which we know is underutilised.
The Crofting Bill Team and stakeholder group are considering a number of proposals that will hopefully make it easier for crofters to use their common grazings for purposes other than agriculture, including peatland restoration. One of the proposals would make provision for crofter-led projects and landlord collaborations / joint ventures, for carbon sequestration, habitat restoration and biodiversity enhancement.
We are committed to taking forward the Crofting Bill before the end of the current parliamentary term.