Members' Business: S6M-04117: Alasdair Allan: Supporting Great Bernera's Community Land Buyout

That the Parliament recognises the work of the Great Bernera Community Development Trust towards a crofting community buyout and the development of the island; understands that, despite concentrated efforts on the Trust’s part to bring the crofting land’s sale to completion, a reported lack of cooperation by the island’s absentee landlord has delayed and halted necessary progress; is deeply concerned by reported recent demands for significant payments by the landlord from local crofters before he will give permission for various legitimate, and elsewhere payment-free, transactions to proceed; understands that, in recent years, the island’s school and local shop have both closed; further understands that part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 has not yet been successfully utilised, but considers Bernera to be an example of where that approach may well be required; notes the hope that all relevant agencies can continue to support the Great Bernera Community Development Trust in securing the buyout of the crofting land, and further notes the calls on the landlord to engage constructively and promptly with the local community going forward.