TRANSPARENCY of land ownership is supported by Scotland landowners – but the regulations around the setting up of a new land register need to be 'proportionate' and easily understood.

That was the message from Scottish Land and Estates as it made its submission to a Scottish Government consultation examining draft regulations towards a land register. The landowners' body reiterated its support for the overall objective, but said that the complexity of the regulations was concerning – especially with the proposed criminal sanctions for non-compliance.

SLaE executive director Sarah-Jane Laing said: “We launched our landowners’ commitment in 2014 which included a commitment to be open and visible to the communities of which we are part of. Since then, our members have been at the forefront of assisting the Scottish Government achieve its goal of completing the Land Register by 2024.

“Future regulations around transparency need to balance the reforms that the government want to enact with the practical realities of land ownership to avoid significant money being expended on legalities rather than being invested in businesses which are the bedrock of Scotland’s rural economy.”

The proposed new register would, she said, have a significant impact on individuals and bodies in the rural sector where many farming partnerships, estates and trusts hold title to land in a manner which will require additional information to be provided to the new register.

Ms Laing added: “It is important that landowners of all sizes – especially on small farms and estates – can comply easily with what is being proposed.

“With criminal rather than civil penalties in place for non-compliance, the government needs to undertake a significant communications exercise to explain what businesses and individuals have to do once the legislation comes in effect.”