Witnesses thanked for land reform bill evidence

A panel of witnesses, including representatives of the Faculty of Advocates and Brodies LLP, has been thanked by MSPs for “saturating” them with information on human rights aspects of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Five witnesses faced almost three hours of questioning by the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee.

Mungo Bovey QC appeared on behalf of the Faculty, while solicitor Charles Livingstone spoke up for Brodies.

The Faculty also submitted written evidence on the Bill.

The committee also heard from Eleanor Deeming of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, Kirsteen Shields of the University of Dundee, and Megan MacInnes of Global Witness.

Concluding the evidence session, Rob Gibson, committee convener, thanked the panel and said: “I think we have reached a point where we are saturated with information, but it has been highly interesting because it has provided us with a much better focus on this.

“It has been an excellent panel and you have all contributed to our knowledge of this and indeed, hopefully, to the improvement of the Bill in due course.”

The oral evidence session can be viewed on the Scottish Parliament website.