Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), the rural business organisation, has questioned the need for further land reform after it emerged the Scottish Government has been forced to implement a £500,000 cut in spending on the policy.

SLE argued in a statement that millions of pounds had already been spent on land reform in recent decades “despite it not being a priority for the public.”

It said the Scottish Government’s new land reform bill proposes “further costly measures to taxpayers that the government will struggle to adequately resource.”

Scottish Land & Estates CEO Sarah-Jane Laing said: “We are yet to see the detail of what this land reform spending cut will entail but it is worth remembering that millions of pounds of public money has been spent on land reform over the last 20 years – on an issue that the Scottish Government’s own research demonstrates is not seen as a priority by the overwhelming majority of the public.

“Much of what is now being spent on land reform, including the development of yet another Land Reform Bill, is entirely unnecessary. There is a mountain of legislation already in place that has empowered communities and brought about significant, positive changes in land use and ownership.

“This spending cut highlights the issue of introducing more legislation and regulation without the cost to the public purse, and the resources needed to implement new measures, being thought through properly at the outset.

“Questions have already been raised over the resources available to public bodies such as the Scottish Land Commission and NatureScot to carry out their increasing interactions with landowners and farmers.

“Despite the First Minister’s pledge to tackle the climate and nature emergencies, we have also seen a further cut to Nature Restoration funding, on top of the £5 million already cut from the fund.

“Rather than introducing a new land commissioner and complex processes such as lotting and enforced land management plans as part of the new Land Reform Bill — with the significant pressures on public resources that will bring — the Scottish Government should focus on taking a collegiate approach and to promote guidance and best practice with communities and landowners to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes without further disincentivising much needed private investment.

“Spending cuts and taxation must not inhibit growth in the rural economy. Landowners want to play their part in achieving that investment and growth if facilitated by government, rather than being thwarted by ill-advised legislation.”