The bill will strengthen the role of grazing committees sharing common land and will also amalgamate the Scottish Land Court and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland to create one body, the Scottish Land Court, retaining the statutory requirement for a Gaelic speaking member.

Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie said: “Crofting is at the heart of communities across many parts of the Highlands and Islands and Argyll. Crofters across these areas are cultivating land, tending livestock, protecting the environment and biodiversity. In the last ten years, more than £31 million in Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme funding has been committed and, since 2007, the Scottish Government has approved £26m of Croft House Grant payments.

“Existing crofting legislation is complex and difficult to navigate. This bill allows us to make a range of simplifications and improvements to the way crofting is administered, which will benefit crofters and the Crofting Commission to better recognise the vital contribution they make to their communities and maintain unique local heritage and culture.

“The merger of the Scottish Land Court and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland into the expanded Scottish Land Court will provide a more efficient administration of the services offered at present and result in greater simplicity, coherence and flexibility.”