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Amendment 38 to the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, agreed to by the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee at Stage 2, lowered the threshold in relation to the land which community engagement obligations (the primary of these being the land management plans) may be imposed from 3,000 to 1,000 hectares. This aligns the thresholds for these provisions with those for the pre-notification and transfer test provisions, which relate to transfers of land. The threshold for pre-notification and transfer test provisions were already set at 1,000 hectares at Bill introduction.

To understand the impact of all the Bill's proposals on businesses, the Scottish Government conducted a Scottish firms impact test, involving engagement with landowners, land agents and representative organisations of land-based businesses. The assessment of the potential impacts of the Bill provisions applying to land over 1,000 hectares on a) transfers of land and b) costs for rural businesses can be found in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill - Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.

To understand the impact of Land Reform (Scotland) Bill proposals on businesses, the Scottish Government conducted a Scottish firms impact test, involving engagement with landowners, land agents and representative organisations of land-based businesses.

These stakeholders did not raise a link between pre-notification and lotting decisions and employment however some did note that additional staff and/or commissioning of advice may be required in relation to land management plans. Full detail of this assessment of anticipated impacts can be found in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill - Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.

As outlined in the Policy Memorandum accessible for the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, landowners will be entitled to apply to the Scottish Ministers for compensation for any loss or expense that is incurred in complying with procedural requirements, attributable to a potential transfer being prevented, or attributable to a lotting decision (including the requirement that lots be transferred to different purchasers). The amount of compensation will be determined by Scottish Ministers, or by the Lands Tribunal on an appeal against the Ministerial determination.

The Scottish Government undertook a range of consultation to develop the proposals in the Bill. Engagement with landowners and wider stakeholders is set out in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill - Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment and the results of our public consultation is set out in our 5. Regulating the market in large-scale land transfers: a new Public Interest Test, and a requirement to notify an intention to sell - Land reform in a Net Zero nation: consultation analysis - gov.scot

As part of further development during Stage 1, consultation was undertaken with a range of stakeholders including the following bodies:

• UK Infrastructure Bank (now National Wealth Fund)
• Scottish National Investment Bank
• Scottish Futures Trust

This engagement highlighted the importance of clarity for both landowners and lenders on the timescales and decision process for the transfer test provisions in the Bill. Amendments have now been agreed by the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee at Stage 2 which will introduce timescales for Ministerial transfer test decisions and place a duty on Ministers to publish guidance on the process.

A lotting decision only takes place in a situation where a landowner is voluntarily selling their land. The lotting provisions cannot be used to compel an owner to sell land where there is no intention to dispose of it in the first place, nor sell a particular business or employer entity. If Ministers decide to order lotting, they must specify the lots, and the lots must then be transferred to different purchasers. All aspects of each sale would otherwise be determined between the seller and the prospective buyer.

In the event that a transfer of a particular lot specified by Ministers amounted to or formed part of a transfer of an undertaking, it would accordingly be for the parties to the transaction to determine the relevance of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006.

As outlined in the Policy Memorandum accessible for the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, landowners will be entitled to apply to the Scottish Ministers for compensation for any loss or expense that is incurred in complying with procedural requirements, attributable to a potential transfer being prevented, or attributable to a lotting decision (including the requirement that lots be transferred to different purchasers). The amount of compensation will be determined by Scottish Ministers, or by the Lands Tribunal on an appeal against the Ministerial determination.

To understand the impact of Land Reform Bill proposals on businesses, the Scottish Government conducted a Scottish firms impact test, involving engagement with landowners, land agents and representative organisations of land-based businesses.

Assessment of potential impacts relating to delays in the disposal of land (which would include any additional borrowing costs relating to the delay) related to pre-notification and the transfer test can be found in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill - Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.

The Scottish Government is continuing to invest in RNID Near You, which provides an aftercare service delivering hearing aid support, access to information and advice and early detection and prevention through hearing checks, in partnership with the NHS in Shetland, Glasgow, Lothian, Fife and Borders. The scheme aims to reduce pressure on the NHS. Boards report savings in staff time and patient travel and monitoring is through regular meetings and reviewing outcomes against targets. The Scottish Government is not responsible for outcomes of third sector relationships procured in other health board areas in the delivery of NHS audiology services.

Following receipt of the Climate Change Committee (CCC)’s report, work is ongoing to consider the advice carefully and at pace. My intention is to lay regulations to set Scottish carbon budgets in legislation as soon as possible following Scottish Ministers’ consideration of both the CCC’s advice and the target-setting criteria contained in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. On the same day as laying the regulations, I will publish an accompanying statement providing further detail on the proposed carbon budgets and the Scottish Government’s position.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37973 on 12 June 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.