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The consultation document puts forward the following criteria for the purpose of defining a landholding as 'large-scale':

a. A fixed threshold of 3000 hectares

b. Land that accounts for more than a fixed percentage of a data zone (or adjacent data zones) or local authority ward(s) designated as an Accessible Rural Area or Remote Rural Area, through our six-fold urban/rural classification scheme (please refer to:

c. Land that accounts for more than a specified minimum proportion of a permanently inhabited island.

The proposal to set the fixed threshold at 3000 hectares for the purpose of defining a landholding as 'large-scale' reflects a suggestion made by the Scottish Land Commission that the 'aim should be to establish a threshold that would ensure that family farms and small businesses would not fall in scope, but that modest estates that could pose risks [of harm to the public interest] would'.

Consultation on our proposals for the next Land Reform Bill is ongoing. We will form a view on measures to include in legislation, and what definitions might be required, in the light of the responses we receive.

The full analysis of the responses to the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill consultation has been completed and a report of the findings will be published on the Scottish Government website shortly.

The Scottish Government is committed to maintaining high standards of animal welfare. The Scottish Government is currently working closely with the other GB administrations on potential improvements to animal transport legislation and consulting stakeholders through a series of workshops, to ensure all options are fully considered before any specific proposals are brought forward.

The Scottish Government remains committed to consulting on proposals to phase out cages for gamebirds and laying hens, as well as farrowing crates for pigs. The consultations will be prepared and brought forward in due course.

We will continue to work with the Regional Land Use Partnership (RLUP) pilots as they progress towards the delivery of Regional Land Use Frameworks by the end of 2023. Success will be measured in terms of how the pilots meet expectations as set out in the Bute House Agreement. Specifically, the pilots should demonstrate that they have taken a democratic, local and inclusive approach to governance and decision making, maximised engagement with stakeholders and helped to meet national outcomes on the environment and climate change. Although it is too early to gauge success against these criteria, we will use findings from the pilots going forwards to inform decision-making.

A year one evaluation of the pilots was completed for 2021-22. The aim was to provide insights and lessons learned as RLUPs worked towards establishment of their governance structures. The report will be published in due course.

NatureScot are considering a range of studies regarding the muirburn season when reviewing the evidence for a muirburn licensing system.  

Research on this topic is continuing and NatureScot will take account of the evidence as it becomes available.  

Community ownership is an important aim of the Scottish Government and there are numerous examples of communities thriving after being given the opportunity to own and manage their own assets. This leads to better local outcomes, which focus on local needs. It is important that we align our policy in respect of increased community ownership to help deliver the vision and outcomes set out in our new Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. If we are to meet our ambitious target of halting the decline in Scotland’s biodiversity by 2030 and reverse it by 2045 all land owners and managers across community, private, voluntary and public sectors will have a part to play.

The evidence review of muirburn being carried out by SAC is currently going through NatureScot’s Quality Assurance Process and they will publish the final review shortly once this process has been completed.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10282 on‎ 26 August 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB) last met on 24 August 2022. Updates on the work of the Board, including minutes of meetings and the Board’s Terms of Reference, are available on the Scottish Government . In relation to the ARIOB publishing its findings,

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05896 on 7 February 2022 and S6W-08269 on 6 May 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10282 on‎ 26 August 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers