News

Finance and policy will determine success of Scotland’s long term housing ambitions

Press Release

Continuously improving Scotland’s housing stock is a vision shared by all stakeholders but requires the right policies and funding become reality. Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, made the comments in response to the Scottish Government’s publication of the Housing to 2040 strategy. The document sets out the...

Public attitudes to land reform study

General News

A study of public attitudes towards land reform carried out on behalf of the Scottish Government by Ipsos MORI Scotland has been published. A lack of knowledge of the land reform agenda and even an understanding of what land reform means is apparent in this research. In deliberative discussions, there was general support for a greater...

Welcome measures announced in the UK Government Budget

General News

The extension of the Government’s furlough scheme was among the measures in the UK Government budget yesterday welcomed by Scottish Land & Estates. In his budget speech, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced welcome support for small businesses called for by SLE, including the continuation of the 5% VAT rate for Hospitality and Tourism...

Rural communities key to Scotland’s climate change response

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, has said communities are vital in supporting Scotland’s climate change response. The organisation made the comments in response to a new report from RSPB Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and WWF Scotland published this week. Stephen Young, Head of Policy at Scottish Land &...

An Update on the Five-Year Transition Towards Sustainable Ammunition

Press Release

In 2020 the shooting sector came together to agree a voluntary move away from single-use plastic and lead shot. One year on, the organisations involved, including Scottish Land & Estates, have issued a joint update. You can read the joint update here

SLE pleased with Parliamentary progress of Livestock Attack Bill

General News

We welcome the progress of Emma Harper MSP’s Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill. The Bill passed Stage 2 in Parliament with the support of both the Scottish Government and the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. If passed at Stage 3 next month, the Bill will provide additional powers for the investigation and...

SLE welcomes Scottish Government decision to withdraw short-term lets licensing regulations

General News

B&Bs, self-caterers and other providers of rural accommodation breathed a sigh of relief today following the Scottish Government’s decision to withdraw their proposed short-term lets licensing regulations. In a letter to the Local Government and Communities Committee, the Minister, Kevin Stewart MSP acknowledged the need to provide...

New regional land use partnerships

General News

The Scottish Government has today announced an extended pilot of Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs) covering Cairngorms National Park, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, North East and South of Scotland. Previous pilot areas were in Aberdeenshire and the Borders. We are supportive in principle of Regional Land Use Partnerships...

SLE Highland Committee welcomes engagement with Cabinet Secretary

Press Release

Saving jobs and businesses must be our shared priority for the rural Highland economy. This was the message from Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) Highland Committee members as they met with Highland MSP and Cabinet Secretary for Finance Kate Forbes. The meeting was an opportunity for SLE committee members to delve deeper into the Government...

Latest land reform discussion paper ‘not reflective’ of modern ownership and land use models

Press Release

Following publication by the Scottish Land Commission of a new discussion paper on land reform legislative proposals, Scottish Land & Estates, which represents land businesses across Scotland, has issued this statement. Mark Tennant, chairman of Scottish Land & Estates, said: “We have now had 20 years of intensive land reform legislation...