Land reform concerns aired

The bill plans to extend access to ramblers

A Scottish Labour MP is warning that the proposed bill to reform land ownership - one of the top priorities when the new Scottish Parliament was set up - needs to be overhauled.

Calum MacDonald, member for the Western Isles, and a long-time campaigner for reform, said he became worried something has gone wrong with the proposed legislation on community ownership when the Law Society said it is unworkable.

And a leading reformist, Dr Jim Hunter, has warned it could actually be counter-productive. If necessary, he said, legislation on access should be completed separately.

In February, the Scottish Executive unveiled the draft bill, which proposed to give ramblers greater access and freedom of movement in rural areas.

Calum MacDonald: Worried access part of the bill will be delayed

It also aims to give smaller communities and crofters a legal right to buy the land they work and depend on for a living.

Mr MacDonald said of the bill: "The fact there are shortcomings at the moment, and quite big shortcomings, doesn't discourage me.

"Mainly because I think that these can be sorted out, in terms of extending community ownership.

Mixed response to proposals

"The thing that worries me more is that the other part of the bill that has to do with access to the right to roam seems more subject to disagreements.

"And I'm worried that the land reform aspect of the bill will get delayed."

The bill had been welcomed by Scottish National Heritage but ramblers and landowners representatives say they are disappointed with the content and are set to campaign for changes during the consultation period.

They criticised it for failing to address key issues and vowed to campaign on aspects which they thought should be included for discussion.

Unveiling the bill, Justice Minister Jim Wallace described it as a " significant milestone in the executive's land reform programme".