Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has told MSPs that land reform should be evaluated on the outcomes it delivers rather than who owns the land, arguing policy must emphasise housing, economic growth and environmental improvements.

Giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament's Rural Affairs Committee on 29 October, SLE chief executive Sarah-Jane Laing called for a broader, evidence-led approach focused on what land delivers for Scotland, alongside practical steps to create opportunities in rural communities.

Sarah-Jane Laing said: "We want this parliamentary session to examine how land can deliver more homes, economic growth, climate resilience, woodland creation and biodiversity. The debate must look beyond ownership alone and consider how we build on the benefits land already provides.

"Whether land is owned privately, publicly or by communities, the real test should be whether it supports jobs, provides homes, creates opportunities and delivers environmental benefits. Ownership matters, but what land delivers matters more."

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She noted the previous parliamentary session concentrated heavily on ownership and urged MSPs to focus this session on how land use can tackle pressing challenges, including rural depopulation.

An SLE report published last year called for Scotland to adopt international best practice to address rural depopulation, including establishing Repopulation Priority Areas.

At Holyrood, Ms Laing also pressed for a comprehensive national land dataset to improve the evidence base for future policy.

With rural businesses under mounting financial pressure, SLE cautioned against additional land taxation without careful assessment of potential impacts.

Ms Laing said: "If we are serious about evidence-led land reform, we need rapid progress and adequate resourcing for better land information and data.

"Scotland's rural ambitions depend on investment. Landowners and rural businesses are already facing rising costs, reducing their ability to invest in housing, employment, environmental management and local infrastructure.

"Any proposals for additional taxation must be assessed against their impact on that investment and on the wider rural economy. We should be encouraging responsible investment in Scotland's land, not making it harder to deliver the outcomes that land reform is intended to achieve.

"Private landowners, community organisations and public bodies all have an important role to play in Scotland's future. The focus of land reform should not simply be who owns Scotland's land, but what Scotland's land delivers for its people."