The Crofting Reform Act, which
received Royal Assent last week, will be implemented in two stages,
Deputy Rural Development Minister Sarah Boyack announced today.
Provisions in new Act, which
includes measures to allow for the creation of new crofts and addresses
neglect or misuse of crofts, will commence in June 2007 and January
2008.
The first Commencement Order
will include provision on: the creation of new crofts and new common
grazings; the neglect and misuse of crofts; legal provisions relating
to the status of crofts that are intended to reduce opportunities for
expensive litigation; changes to the resumption, decrofting and
apportionment provisions of the 1993 Act; schemes to facilitate wind
farm development on Shetland; amendment to the Land Reform (Scotland)
Act dealing with interposed leases; and provisions affecting the
Scottish Land Court.
The second Commencement order
will include all other provisions of the Act, in particular those
setting out a new procedural framework for the regulatory work of the
Commission and provisions covering the information held on the Register
of Crofts.
Commenting on the decision,
Boyack said: "Crofting plays a vital role in the economic and social
fabric of rural Scotland. We are committed to securing its future well
into the 21st Century:
"The Crofting Reform Act is a significant piece of legislation.
"It will allow the creation of
new crofts for the first time in a century, ensure that existing croft
land is properly used, extend crofting tenure beyond the crofting
counties and ensure that crofting communities who acquire their land
will secure the economic benefits that come with ownership.
"Now that the Bill has received
Royal Assent we will move quickly to ensure that existing crofters and
those who wish to take up crofting can benefit from this new
legislation."
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