Minister says 'strong support' for land reform in Scotland

Minister Aileen McLeod was addressing the Scottish Land and Estates conference

A Scottish government minister has told a conference in Edinburgh there was "strong support" for land reform.

Aileen McLeod also said she wanted to see "much more" land brought into community ownership.

The one-day event has been organised by the landowners' organisation, Scottish Land and Estates.

The Scottish government's plan to introduce a Land Reform Bill at Holyrood before the summer recess has sparked controversy.

Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser condemned the Holyrood administration's proposed reforms as "a Big Brother-style land grab".

And David Johnstone, chairman of Scottish Land and Estates, which speaks for private landowners, said the there was already hard work being done to back Scottish government aims, such as renewable energy, agriculture, housing and tourism.

In her address to the conference, Ms McLeod, who is minister for environment, climate change and land reform, said there was "strong public support" for a land reform bill and that broader benefits would flow from the changes.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already pledged to take action against landowners who pose a "barrier" to development.

Ms Sturgeon has also said business rate exemptions for shooting and deerstalking estates will be scrapped as part of a series of "radical" reforms.

Speaking in November 2014, the first minister told MSPs the move would allow for the fund which supports community land ownership to be increased from £3m to £10m a year.