Minutes: 10 June 2025

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take item 3 in private.

2. Land Reform (Scotland) Bill:

The Committee considered the Bill at Stage 2 (Day 2).

The following amendments were agreed to (without division): 15, 46, 58, 60, 61, 67, 70, 72, 76, 408, 409, 410, 91, 414, 415, 416, 98, 99, 108, 119, 124, 127, 128, 132 and 137. 

The following amendments were agreed to (by division)— 

20 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

22 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

26 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

326 (For 4, Against 3, Abstentions 0) 

328 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

32 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

335 (For 3, Against 3, Abstentions 1; amendment agreed to on casting vote)  

340 (For 4, Against 3, Abstentions 0) 

34 (For 6, Against 0, Abstentions 1) 

36 (For 6, Against 0, Abstentions 1) 

38 (For 4, Against 2, Abstentions 1) 

40 (For 4, Against 2, Abstentions 1) 

45 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

48 (For 4, Against 3, Abstentions 0) 

49 (For 4, Against 3, Abstentions 0) 

50 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

53 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

54 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

55 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

56 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

77 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

83 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

89 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

97 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

100 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

107 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

115 (For 5, Against 0, Abstentions 2) 

123 (For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0) 

126 (For 4, Against 3, Abstentions 0). 

The following amendments were disagreed to (by division)— 

14 (For 1, Against 5, Abstentions 1) 

390 (For 1, Against 5, Abstentions 1) 

311 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

18 (For 1, Against 5, Abstentions 1) 

391 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

19 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

313 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

315 (For 3, Against 4, Abstentions 0) 

314 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

316 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

23 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

24 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

318 (For 2, Against 4, Abstentions 1) 

25 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

27 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

28 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

393 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

394 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

29 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

320 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

321 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

323 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

324 (For 3, Against 4, Abstentions 0) 

325 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

395 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

330 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

331 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

332 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

333 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

336 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

337 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

396 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

339 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

397 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

341 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

3 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

39 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

342 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

402 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

403 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

404 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

43 (For 1, Against 6, Abstentions 0) 

343 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

405 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

406 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

51 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

407 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

82 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

411 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

90 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

347 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

104 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

105 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

110 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

417 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

111 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

349 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

418 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

419 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

422 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

122 (For 1, Against 6, Abstentions 0) 

128A (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

133 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

134 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

135 (For 3, Against 4, Abstentions 0) 

136 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0) 

425 (For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0).

The following amendments were pre-empted: 398, 399, 400, 35, 41, 4, 401 and 424. 

The following amendments were not moved: 16, 312, 17, 21, 392, 317, 2, 319, 322, 30, 327, 329, 31, 334, 33, 338, 37, 42, 44, 47, 49A, 49B, 344, 52, 345, 346, 57, 59, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 73, 74, 75, 78, 79, 80, 81, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 412, 413, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97A, 101, 102, 103, 106, 109, 348, 350, 112, 351, 352, 113, 114, 353, 354, 116, 420, 117, 118, 421, 5, 120, 121, 423, 125, 127A, 127B, 129, 130 and 131. 

The following provisions were agreed to as amended: sections 1, 2 and 3. 

The Committee ended consideration of the Bill for the day, section 3 having been agreed to. 

Edward Mountain declared an interest in a farming partnership in Moray, as set out in the register of interests. Specifically, he declared an interest as owner of approximately 500 acres of farmed land, of which 50 acres is woodland. He also declared that he is a tenant of approximately 500 acres in Moray under a non-agricultural tenancy and that he has another farming tenancy under the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991. He also declared that he sometimes take on grass lets on an annual basis.

Tim Eagle declared an interest as a sole trader and owner of Hillfords Farm, of Moray, a small sheep and arable farm.        

3. Work programme (in private):

The Committee considered its work programme. The Committee noted the Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy’s 9 June response to the Convener’s 4 June letter about the timetabling of regulations to set the Scottish carbon budget. The Committee agreed to write back to the Acting Cabinet Secretary.