Nationwide call for public input on Scotland's land reform launches
A NATIONAL initiative is inviting people across Scotland to share their views on how land can better support the things that matter most.
Led by the Scottish Land Commission, ScotLand Futures has invited individuals, community groups, land managers, businesses and organisations to give feedback to shape "a shared vision for how Scotland's land is owned, used and managed in the years ahead".
Key issues of housing, nature, jobs, and local communities are in focus while the Scottish Parliament is currently considering a new Land Reform Bill that will improve how large-scale landholdings are managed and transferred.
READ MORE: NC500 named least electric vehicle-friendly road trip in UK-wide study
The initiative is asking Scots: what would it look like to complete Scotland's current land reform journey?
Speaking at the launch, Michael Russell, chair of the Scottish Land Commission, said: 'Land reform is not just for land reformers. Too often the conversation can feel remote - discussed in policy circles or historic terms. Land affects all of us, every day, from the homes we live in, to the green spaces we enjoy, and the kind of communities we want to build.
"Scotland has made real progress in land reform, but the journey is not complete yet. We're inviting people to look ahead and envision the next big steps for land reform. We hope to build consensus on a fairer land system. Even where there is not full agreement, there is real value in developing shared clarity about the intended endpoint.'
ScotLand Futures is open to everyone, and the commission is encouraging individuals, community groups, businesses and organisations to get involved.
The organisation has stressed individual "don't need to be an expert" to submit feedback.
People can take part by:
Completing a short online form to share their views on land reform
Attending online or in-person events
Engaging with the campaign on social media using #ScotLandFutures
Insights gathered through the initiative will be used to inform the public debate and support policy development and a summary of contributions will be published by the Commission later this year.
Visit here to find out more and share your views.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
'It's destroying jobs': SNP slam Labour NIC hike as businesses shed jobs
'THE Labour Party's national insurance tax hike is destroying jobs, squeezing wages and choking off economic growth," the SNP has said after figures today show the number of people on payrolls fell by 55,000 between March and April this year. The figures, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today, forecast the number is to drop by a further 109,000 in May. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said the figures showed "Scotland's labour market remains resilient despite global challenges impacting the economy", with the median monthly pay of payrolled employees in Scotland higher than the UK overall. Responding to the figures, Liz McKeown, director of economic statistics at the ONS said: "Feedback from our vacancies survey suggests some firms may be holding back from recruiting new workers or replacing people when they move on'. Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK also warned: "It is likely that businesses will look to offset some of the rise in employment costs through a combination of reducing headcount and slowing hiring activity. Given this, we expect the unemployment rate to edge higher over the coming year". READ MORE: UK Government pledges 'multi-decade, multi-billion' renovation of Clyde nuclear base Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics said "most indicators show labour demand is clearly weakening." The SNP have pointed towards Rachel Reeves's UK Budget last October, where she said that employers' NICs would rise from 13.8% to 15% on a worker's earnings above £175. The changes will kick in from April 1, the same day by which the Scottish Government must have passed its Budget legislation. As the tax rises were levied on employers – in order to allow Labour to claim they had not technically raised taxes on working people – Scotland's local authorities and public service providers also face cost increases. SNP deputy Westminster leader Pete Wishart MP said: 'The Labour Party's national insurance tax hike is destroying jobs, squeezing wages and choking off economic growth - with unemployment rising to a four year high as businesses and public services grapple with the increased costs of hiring employees under Keir Starmer's government. READ MORE: 'Resign if you disagree so much', Labour tell civil servants raising Israel concerns 'The Chancellor must use the UK spending review tomorrow to scrap her damaging jobs tax hike - and implement measures that support small and medium businesses, public services and charities to create jobs and boost incomes - rather than forcing them to cut jobs and wages. 'Voters were promised things would get better but under the Labour government unemployment is rising, the cost of living is sky high, and the economy is moving in the wrong direction, with growth down, borrowing up, and public finances in a worse position than when Rachel Reeves entered Downing Street. 'The SNP repeatedly warned about the damage Labour Party's job tax would do. Scottish businesses need support not punishing tax hikes from Westminster. Unlike Keir Starmer, the SNP will always stand up for Scotland and support our small and medium businesses to grow and benefit our communities.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Better-off pensioners able to 'opt-out' of Scottish fuel payment
Wealthier pensioners will be made aware of an option to decline Scotland's winter fuel payments - or donate them to charity, according to a Scottish government minister. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the universal approach of the devolved Scottish scheme was important, but she said the "difference" made by opting out would also be highlighted. The current plan is for all pensioner households to receive at least £100 regardless of income, while those on pension credit will receive up to £305 depending on age. The UK government's Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said "limited public funding" should not be spent on "millionaire pensioners". Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a major policy U-turn on winter fuel payments to pensioners Monday – months after it was cut as part of the UK government's autumn budget. Under the new scheme, every household with a person over the state pension age in England and Wales and an income of up to £35,000 will receive £200 for those aged up to 80 and £300 for those aged over 80. For those with an income of more than £35,000, the money will be recouped through the tax system. Scottish ministers 'in the dark' over winter fuel payment U-turn All Scottish pensioners to get winter fuel payment The Scottish government launched its own winter fuel benefit last year in response to the original cuts which included extra support for those less well-off, but also a universal payment which is unaffected by income. Under the plan, all households with a person over state pension age will receive an automatic £100 payment to help heat their homes. For those on pension credits under the age of 80, that increases to £203, and rises again for those over 80 to £305. It also includes an "opt-out" system for pensioners who are better off, meaning they can return the payment to the Scottish government or donate it to charity if they feel it is unnecessary. Somerville told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland the payment had been "deliberately tapered" towards those on lower incomes. She said the Scottish government refused to "balance the books on the back of the most vulnerable," adding the "opt-out mechanism" had previously been effective. "We will make sure people know about the opt-out mechanism, they are aware of it, they can recognise the difference made by putting that payment back or not receiving that payment in future years," she told the programme. "We've seen when the winter fuel payment was cut originally, those who used the winter fuel payment to support charities right across Scotland. "It's important to have a universal system but it's not necessarily important that everyone receives the same amount and that is exactly why the payment is tapered to those who are on pension credit, who are on the lowest incomes." Somerville would not be drawn on whether the Scottish government would modify its scheme in light of the changes being made south of the border. She said ministers were still waiting to assess the "funding implications" from the chancellor's announcement. Murray said Scotland would receive more money, calculated "in the usual way" as part of the Barnett consequentials formula. He said it was up to the Scottish government how that money was spent, adding the current Scottish version of the payment had been partially financed by a £5.2bn devolution settlement increase from Westminster last year. But he said he did not agree with the decision to make payments regardless of income, given the pressures on other budgets. "The government in Scotland made the decision to give that limited public money to millionaire pensioners and we don't think that is the right principle when public funding is tight," he said. "But you can't have it both ways, you can't say that public funding is tight and make the decision on the money they have got available. "We've got one in six Scots on NHS waiting lists, they're not spending it on that, we've got an increasing education attainment gap, they're not spending it on education, so Scottish voters have the right to ask where it is being spent and why is it not being spent on their priorities."

Epoch Times
2 hours ago
- Epoch Times
Scots ‘Voted for Change', Says Starmer After Labour's Surprise By-election Win
Sir Keir Starmer has said people in Scotland have 'voted for change' following Labour's shock win in the Hamilton by-election. The prime minister congratulated Labour's new MSP Davy Russell and looked ahead to next year's Scottish Parliament election, saying it is a chance to 'turbo-charge delivery.' Russell took the seat vacated by the death of Scottish Government minister and SNP MSP Christina McKelvie. Posting on social media on Friday morning, Starmer said: 'People in Scotland have once again voted for change. 'Next year there is a chance to turbo-charge delivery by putting Labour in power on both sides of the border. 'I look forward to working with you.' Related Stories 2/3/2025 6/2/2025 Labour's candidate, who is the deputy lord lieutenant of Lanarkshire, beat the SNP's Katy Loudon, who fell to her third defeat since 2023. The win comes against the backdrop of national polls which place Scottish Labour in third place behind the SNP and Reform UK, and will undoubtedly give a boost to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar's bid to become first minister in next year's election. Sarwar told BBC Radio Scotland's 'Good Morning Scotland' programme he is confident Labour can win that contest. When asked if his party can defeat the SNP, which has been in power in Scotland since 2007, Sarwar declared: 'Absolutely. 'I believed it before this by-election and I continue to believe it now. 'Next year the choice is simple—a third decade of the SNP with John Swinney as first minister or a new direction for Scotland with me as first minister. 'That is the choice facing the people of Scotland, that is the campaign over the next year, and that is a campaign I am confident we can win. 'I think what the people of Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse did yesterday was lead the way to that change of government next year and a Scottish Labour government next year.' He also said he will 'continue to challenge the poison of Reform,' making clear he is 'talking about the people who lead Reform' and not those who 'may be tempted' to vote for them. Mach of the Hamilton campaign had been dominated by a Reform advert—branded 'racist' by Labour and others—which had alleged Sarwar would 'prioritise' the Pakistani community. A surge in support for Nigel Farage's party saw it come in third place in Hamilton, just 800 votes behind the SNP, although there had been speculation Reform could come second or possibly even win the seat. Reform deputy leader Richard Tice insisted the party is 'delighted' with the result. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme, he said: 'It's truly remarkable. 'We've come from nowhere to being in a three-way marginal, and we're within 750 votes of winning that by-election and just a few hundred votes of defeating the SNP, so it's an incredible result.' At the election count earlier, Tice told the PA news agency he was 'thrilled to bits' with the result. When the votes were counted, Russell polled 8,559, Loudon took 7,957 votes, and Reform's Ross Lambie secured 7,088. Speaking to PA after the declaration, Sarwar said: 'I think people need to change the script, because we've proven the pollsters wrong. 'We've proven the commentators wrong, we've proven the bookies wrong. 'We've proven John Swinney wrong and so many others wrong too.' In the final days of the campaign, the first minister had said it was a 'two-horse race' between the SNP and Reform, and Sarwar asked what it says about a government that has been in power for 18 years when 'all it has to offer in a campaign is vote SNP to stop Farage.' Swinney said Loudon had 'fought a superb SNP campaign' and that he was 'clearly disappointed' his party was unable to win. 'Labour won by an absolute landslide in this area less than a year ago—we came much closer tonight, but the people of Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse have made clear that we still have work to do,' he added. 'Over the next few days, we will take time to consider the result fully.'