HC Deb 19 May 1998 vol 312 cc721-2
10. Mr. Michael Connarty (Falkirk, East)

What assessment he has made of the advantages of (a) reforming and (b) abolishing the feudal system of land ownership in Scotland. [41259]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Calum Macdonald)

The Government favour the earliest possible abolition of feudal tenure in Scotland and have asked the Scottish Law Commission to accelerate its review, which will now be completed by the end of this year.

Mr. Connarty

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Getting rid of this scurrilous system, which is a hangover of the feudal relationships that once bedevilled Scotland, is long overdue. He will be aware of the campaign that is run by my hon. Friend the Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood), but is he also aware of the campaign that is run by the Association of Retired Persons Over 50 for people in my constituency and others, who have bought their houses in retirement and have a feudal superior who is abusing the right to charge them extortionate prices for repairs and other landlord-based provision? Can my hon. Friend give me an assurance that his revision will deal with that type of scurrilous landlord for ever?

Mr. Macdonald

I should like to tackle that problem ahead of the Scottish Law Commission final report. As a result of my hon. Friend the Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) raising this issue in the House, the commission was asked to make a report on the specific problem of leasehold casualties. That report was published on 30 April and we are looking urgently at its recommendations and at the possibility of legislation at the earliest possible date.

Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth)

Among the various options being looked at by the Government for land reform, will the Minister specifically look at the prospect of introducing a way of freezing controversial land purchases such as Knoydart to allow full investigations into the circumstances before the purchases are finalised?

Mr. Macdonald

The circumstances around the Knoydart sales certainly raise questions that cause concern to everyone who has the interest of the community at heart. That is exactly why we set up the policy group—to try to find solutions to exactly that sort of situation.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce (Gordon)

In his reform, will the Minister ensure that there is a time limit beyond which people cannot go back to revived redundant titles, so that we can avoid people being pressured and indeed ripped off by clever, legally qualified people who have made no contribution to wealth creation, but have robbed people who thought that they had clear title?

Mr. Macdonald

That is also being looked at as part of the Scottish Law Commission's report. These situations create severe injustices, and the main point of the report is to try to find solutions to that problem.