Public appointment: Land Commissioners and Tenant Farming Commissioner appointed to the Scottish Land Commission

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, today announced the appointment of Dr Lucy Beattie and Dr Calum MacLeod as Land Commissioners and Robert Black as the Tenant Farming Commissioner of the Scottish Land Commission.

 

Land Commissioner

Dr Lucy Beattie is a farmer and land manager in North-West Ross, and a rural development consultant. Dr Beattie has a background in rural land management and worked for a former public authority in 1999 as part of her RICS professional exams. This was foundational to the experience which has been developed over the last 25 years working as a consultant in land management and community development. Dr Beattie’s academic interest lies in science communication having worked as a social scientist to explore perceptions and behaviours relating to land use, conflict resolution and the advance of policies to achieve practical solutions to address the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. When working with the Scottish Crofting Federation, Dr Beattie gained vital experience in this respect.

 

Dr Calum MacLeod is Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer for the Mental Health Foundation in Scotland and a freelance sustainable development consultant. In 2010 he led post-legislative scrutiny of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 on behalf of the Scottish Parliament. Formerly Policy Director of Community Land Scotland, Dr MacLeod has a PhD in public policy implementation and has taught sustainable development and public policy courses at several Scottish Universities. He is a Board Member of MG ALBA (Gaelic Media Service) and was previously a Board Member of the Harris Tweed Authority, championing sustainable, community-focused development.

 

Tenant Farming Commissioner

Robert Black brings nearly 20 years experience as a self-employed agricultural adviser with a background in rural science and agricultural business. He has extensive experience in rural consultancy supporting farmers and tenant operators across Scotland combining practical expertise with a deep understanding of the rural sector. He runs North West Rural Consulting having previously been a Development Manager for the Isle of Luing Community Trust, where he oversaw projects including the reactivation of Cullipool Slate Quarry, community housing, and net-zero carbon objectives to support economic growth and tackle rural depopulation. Rob also worked as an Agricultural Consultant with SAC Consulting.

 

Appointments

The appointments are for five years from 19 December 2024 to 18 December 2029.

 

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

 

Remuneration and time commitment

The appointments attract remuneration of £231.38 per day. The Land Commissioner time commitment is two days per month. The Tenant Farming Commissioner commitment is eight days per month.

 

Other Ministerial appointments

Dr Beattie, Dr MacLeod and Mr Black do not hold any other public 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.

 

In February 2022, Dr Beattie submitted her name for vetting as a candidate with the Scottish National Party and in October 2022 was selected as Convener for the Scottish National Party constituency association of Caithness, Sutherland and Ross; and second officer of the Wester-Ross branch. In November 2023, Dr Beattie was selected as a candidate for the Scottish National Party for the general election representing Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. Dr Beattie stood down from roles and membership of the Scottish National Party in October 2024.

 

Dr MacLeod and Mr Black have had no political activity within the last five years.

 

Background

The Scottish Land Commission (SLC) is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) established on 1 April 2017 as a key measure in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016. The SLC is at the forefront of the Scottish Government’s ambition to ensure that our nation’s land delivers prosperity and sustainable growth for Scotland. The Commission has five Land Commissioners, one of whom is the Chair, and one Tenant Farming Commissioner (TFC). They are all appointed by Scottish Ministers and approved by the Scottish Parliament. The SLC is based in Inverness and employs a team of 17 full time equivalent staff led by Chief Executive, Hamish Trench.

 

The role of the SLC is to stimulate fresh thinking around how Scotland owns and uses land and advise Scottish Government on an ongoing programme of land reform. In addition to providing advice and recommendations for law and policy, the SLC provides leadership for change in culture and practice through its work across Scotland promoting best practice and compliance with the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement (prepared under section 1 of the 2016 Act).

 

The Commission’s remit extends to all land in Scotland, whether urban or rural and covers all matters relating to land, including ownership, land rights, land management and use of land, the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement and associated Protocols, and the Land Use Strategy prepared under section 57 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.