Shucksmith predicts no reforms in crofting

Professor Mark Shucksmith, who Chaired the Commission of Inquiry into Crofting and prodiced the widely respected Shucksmith Report, has looked in to the future.

He predicts that the result of the Inquiry and two successive  – and serially abandoned – Government Crofting Reform Bills, will be the continuation of the status quo.

The Shucksmith Committee’s report pointed to measures that would address what are universally seen as the threats to crofting: neglect, absenteeism and profiteering. A key suggestion was that, at the point of transfer or sale of a croft, the law should impose a specified annual residency requirement.

Mark Shucksmith points out that, in the survey conducted for the Inquiry, over 66% wanted such restrictions to be put in place. Only 21% disagreed with such a measure. The survey also showed that 88% said unequivocally that crofts should be worked.

Michael Russell, the first the of the current Scottish Government’s Environment Ministers, saw his Crofting Reform Bill meet with resolute and persistent objections form crofters who, when it came to it, did not want these restrictions at all.

They wanted the opportunity to make a fast buck from the ubiquitous second homers – and, in today’s me-first bonus culture. who can – or should – ask them to be rare examples of altruism?

MIchael Russell was moved to Culture, leaving Roseanna Cunningham to step into his wellies at Environment and start with making the inevitable concessions on the Crofting Reform Bill.

But all the amendments and dilutions Ms Cunningham could make were still not enough, with the second version now also shunted into the sidings.

So the cost of the Shucksmith Commission, its report and of preparing and consulting on two versions of a Crifting Reform Bill have been a waste of time and money.

The underlying issue is a radical reconsideration of the sort of society we want to be, with what balance between offering shelter to the unable and the disadvantaged and incentives to enterprise and independence.

Until we have a national conversation on this and arrive at something the majority can sign off, we will continue to waste money and time on subordinate repairs.