Who owns Scotland? Greens call for land ownership transparency

A comprehensive Scottish land information system, containing information about the ownership, use and value of land, and made freely available to the people of Scotland, should be created, a Green campaigner has said.

Scottish Greens land reform spokesperson Andy Wightman, MSP, will lead a debate this week calling for information on the ownership of land in Scotland.

Scottish Greens land reform spokesperson Andy Wightman, MSP, will lead a debate this week calling for information on the ownership, use and value of land to be made more easily available to the public. And he said the creation of such a system would bring welcome social and economic benefits.

Obtaining comprehensive information about land and property is straightforward in some jurisdictions, but Mr Wightman said Scotland lagged behind many other countries in the ease with which such information is made available.

He said: “A modern society requires open and transparent information on the ownership, use and value of land. The creation of a comprehensive Scottish land information system could be transformational in improving citizen’s access to information around land.

“Existing efforts are a start but require better governance.”

Calling on the Scottish Government to do more, he said: “It is currently far too difficult, time-consuming and expensive to obtain land information which is currently held in a variety of different places..”