…the blog and website of Andy Wightman
The future of the Crown Estate was a topic of discussion in the Scotland Bill Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 3 February 2010. Giving evidence were Michael Moore, Secretary of State for Scotland, Roger Bright, Chief Executive of the
Continue readingThe Scotland Bill received its 2nd reading in the House of Commons yesterday (27 Jan 2011). The following extracts are the totality of references to the future of the Crown Estate in Scotland. The ten Minute rule bill referred to
Continue readingI will be in Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday 18 January) giving evidence to the Justice Committee on the Long Leases (Scotland) Bill. I will be seeking to exempt common good land from the provisions of the bill which allows for all
Continue readingToday I submitted my written evidence to the Scotland Bill Committee of the Scottish Parliament. I am calling for the Crown Estate Commissioners to be removed from any role in the administration of Scotland’s Crown rights. This is a historic
Continue readingI have today submitted written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee on the Long Leases (Scotland) Bill. It focusses on the impact the Bill will have on common good land. Those following this matter may also be interested in
Continue readingThe Scottish Government consultation on land registration closed on 30 November 2010. Apart from the professional classes in property and law, it received little publicity or attention from civil society in Scotland. This reflects a long tradition of legal reforms
Continue readingFollowing a European Court of Justice Ruling, the Scottish Government has removed all data on public subsidies paid to farmers from its website. The ruling stated that European legislation that obliges member states to publish data on the beneficiaries of
Continue readingYesterday Scottish Secretary, Michael Moore published the Scotland Bill. What does it say about the future of Scotland’s public crown lands? First of all, it is worth remembering that the Calman Commission was nobbled by the Crown Estate Commission (CEC)
Continue readingAmidst all the press coverage of the student demonstration in London on Wednesday, one small question was niggling me as I watched the windows being smashed in Millbank Tower. Whose windows? Who owns Millbank Tower? As it happens, the same
Continue readingI don’t want to be a pedant but it is symptomatic of much political debate about land reform that the wrong things are said about some important matters which, if not corrected, serve only to confuse. In Iain Gray’s speech
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