Pledge to get tough on hundreds of absentee crofters

It follows last month's launch of the Crofting Reform Bill, which outlined measures to tackle neglect of land. The average absentee rate is running at about 10 per cent among the near 18,000 crofts.

The new bill proposed putting a duty on the commission to get tough. In the case of absent tenants, the commission will seek proposals for the occupation of crofts. Ultimately, failure to live on the croft, or assign it to another, may result in the tenancy being terminated and the croft re-let.

Proposals for crofts to be occupied will also be sought from the owners of vacant crofts.

Environment minister Roseanna Cunningham backed the new crack down.

She said: "Crofting is a vital part of Scotland's social, geographical and cultural make-up, yet its very existence is under threat. Nine out of ten respondents to the recent consultation on crofting reform cited absenteeism as the most important problem faced.

"Without people living and working the land, the full value in terms of economic, environmental and social benefits crofting could potentially bring to communities is not being met."

Drew Ratter, the commission convener, said: "(We] share the minister's view that the greatest contribution to sustainable economic development which the Crofters Commission can make is to ensure that crofts, many of them in the most fragile of our rural areas, are occupied and actively worked.

"We are taking a strong line on regulatory issues and will be robust in dealing with the challenges which will arise from the absentee action."

A previous purge on absenteeism found people living in Canada, the United States, Australia, Turkey and other parts of the UK still registered as crofters.