Public appointment: Chair, Tenant Farming Commissioner and Land Commissioners reappointed to the Scottish Land Commission

The Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan MSP, today announced the reappointment of Andrew Thin as Chair of the Scottish Land Commission. She also announced the reappointment Dr Bob McIntosh CBE as Tenant Farming Commissioner and Lorne MacLeod and Dr Sally Reynolds as Land Commissioners.

Chair, Tenant Farming Commissioner and Land Commissioners

Andrew Thin is currently Chair of Scottish Canals. He has almost 30 years’ experience in leadership roles in the private, public and third sector and has a particular interest in strategic and cultural leadership. He has a masters degree in Business Administration and has worked extensively in board level roles in the private, public and third sectors. His previous board level roles in the public sector have been as a Crofting Commissioner, Children’s Hearings Scotland, Chair of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, and Chair of Scottish Natural Heritage.

Dr Bob McIntosh CBE had a 42 year career in forestry, the environment and land management, mostly with the Forestry Commission and latterly as the Scottish Government’s Environment and Forestry Director. As former Chief Executive of Forest Enterprise, he was responsible for the management of the Forestry Commission land and woodlands throughout Great Britain and has had a lifetime interest in land use, rural development and the management of land to deliver multiple outcomes.

Lorne MacLeod has had an interest, and involvement, in land reform for many years. He was a founding Director and latterly was the Chairman of Community Land Scotland, and has been a Director of the community land buyout groups in Eriskay, South Uist and Benbecula and the Isle of Gigha. Mr MacLeod was also Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s first Director of Strengthening Communities and prior to that was Chief Executive of Skye and Lochalsh Enterprise. He is a chartered accountant and Director of a retail and distribution business in the Isle of Skye.

Dr Sally Reynolds works as a Development Manager with a community landowner on the Isle of Lewis, Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh (Carloway Estate Trust). She studied Mathematics and Environmental Biology and following the completion of her PhD in Mathematical Ecology she settled back on the Isle of Lewis. Her professional career has seen her work within the University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) and SAC Consulting and she has now been working within the Community Land Sector for six years. Her role as a Scottish Land Commissioner has been broad and varied but her particular interest is the practical implementation of the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement through the Commission’s Good Practice Programme.

Reappointments

Mr Thin’s reappointment runs for two years from 19 December 2021 until 18 December 2023. Dr McIntosh, Mr MacLeod and Dr Reynolds’ reappointments are for three years from 19 December 2021 until 18 December 2024.

The reappointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration and time commitment

Mr Thin receives £273.60 per day for a time commitment of four days per month. Dr McIntosh receives £218.46 per day for a time commitment of eight days per month with Mr MacLeod and Dr Reynolds receiving £218.46 per day for a time commitment of two days per month.

Other ministerial appointments

Mr Thin is Chair of the Board of Scottish Canals and receives £14,000 per annum for a time commitment of one day per week.

Dr McIntosh is a member of the Board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and receives £10,000 per annum for a time commitment of two days per month.

Mr MacLeod and Dr Reynolds do not hold any other Ministerial appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.

Mr Thin, Dr McIntosh, Mr MacLeod and Dr Reynolds have had no political activity in the last five years.

Scottish Land Commission

The Scottish Land Commission is an executive non-departmental public body established on 1 April 2017 by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016. The Commission is led by a Board of Commissioners comprised of five Land Commissioners and the Tenant Farming Commissioner, who are appointed by Scottish Ministers. The Board of Commissioners is chaired by Andrew Thin, and is supported by a team of staff led by Hamish Trench, the Chief Executive.

The Commission’s remit is to review the effectiveness and impact of laws and policies, and provide advice and recommendations to Scottish Ministers on matters relating to land in Scotland. The Tenant Farming Commissioner also has a range of statutory powers and has a vital role in improving relationships between tenants and landlords. In addition to these functions, the Commission conducts a programme of engagement, produces guidance and supports good practice in land ownership, management and use.

The Commission published their Strategic Plan 2020 to 2023, in September 2020, which sets out their key priorities over the next three years: reforming land rights, embedding responsible land ownership and use, and reforming land markets. They will deliver these priorities through a combination of leadership and non-regulatory culture change, alongside their statutory functions to review and advise on legislative and policy change. The Strategic Plan reflects the commitments on land reform in succesive Programmes for Government, is consistent with the Scottish Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement, and supports work to deliver a green and inclusive economy and meet climate change targets.