Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: equality impact assessment

The Scope of the EQIA

To accompany formal consultation, a preliminary framing exercise was conducted by officials in the Land Reform Bill Team, Agricultural Holdings and Women in Agriculture Team and the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division, with attendance from officials across relevant policy areas in the Scottish Government including Scottish Forestry, Peatland Policy, Food and Drink and Population and Migration. After this exercise, officials from the Scottish Government’s Mainstreaming Team were also consulted and provided advice and insight to the process. This exercise identified a limited number of potential impacts and so a proportional desk-based approach was taken to source existing data and evidence.

Additionally, the Scottish Government lead policy teams sought advice from a number of internal policy areas including crofting, planning, housing, agriculture, community right to buy and taxation. External consultation also took place with a range of stakeholders representing different groups including community landowners, farmers including tenant farmers, and landowners (both public and private).

Summary of activities:

• Framing exercise: Scottish Government officials, as noted above.
• Discussions with relevant directorates across Scottish Government and external organisations where appropriate.
• Evidence-gathering: quantitative and qualitative data and evidence were sourced, including Scottish Land Commission research, evidence from existing large Scotland and UK-level surveys and census and evidence from other relevant policy impact assessments.
• Formal consultation: as set out further below.

The potential impact of the Bill was examined through three consultations on the Bill proposals (Land Reform Bill^[3], small landholdings modernisation^[4], and Agricultural Bill^[5] consultations) each of them included the following question: “Are you aware of any examples of how the proposals in this consultation may impact, either positively or negatively, on those with protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation)?”

In response to these consultations on Bill proposals a total of 970 responses were received and the opportunity to respond to this question was open to all. For the Land Reform consultation, six consultation events were held across Scotland. Four were held on the Scottish mainland (Langholm, Invermoriston, Helmsdale and Ballater) while the fifth was held in Stornoway. These were accompanied by an online event.

Further details of the responses to this question in the consultations may be found in the published analysis of the three consultations:

• Land Reform in a Net Zero Nation: Analysis of responses to the consultation exercise (www.gov.scot)
• Small landholdings modernisation: consultation – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
• Agriculture Bill: consultation analysis – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Evidence gathered during these public consultations helped inform this EQIA.