SEBG News Archive
Agricultural Holdings is an opportunity to restore confidence
November 2003/TBCOn the eve of the implementation of the new Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act, the Scottish Estates Business Group (SEBG) has called the Act an "opportunity" for the industry, and has urged all involved to co-operate and communicate to ensure that vital confidence is restored.
Sandy Lewis, Chairman of SEBG said: "With the new legislation now in force it is time to move forward. All parties must make use of the work done over the past months and build on the spirit of co-operation. "There are practical problems that remain, the most pressing being the confusion over limited partnership arrangements, which fall under the remaining parts of the Act still to be commenced. We hope the Tenant Farming Forum - another benefit of the agricultural holdings process will help resolve these. There is no question that the polarised debate over the absolute right to buy and the clauses relating to limited partnerships affected confidence in the industry to let land and that confidence has to be restored.
"We must all work to ensure that happens because we are committed to a vibrant tenanted sector. The vast majority of people in the industry are also committed to this as it offers the best way into farming for aspiring farmers. "The Act must be given time to settle in. We should not forget that in general relations between landlords and tenants are harmonious and productive and we must build on those relationships in the future."
