News

Fair and accurate energy efficiency tests for housing are essential

General News

Helping homeowners to reduce environmental impacts and continue the fight against climate change must be at the core of new owner-occupied housing standards says Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), the organisation which represents landowners and rural businesses. In its response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on “Improving Energy...

Farmers fighting to feed the country see flytipping spike

Press Release

Scotland’s leading rural and environmental organisations have issued a statement in relation to the rise in fly-tipping during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Over the past few weeks, we have seen Scotland’s beautiful countryside being blighted even more with people’s junk. Farmers’ fields, laybys and lanes have become hot spots for DIY remnants...

Accessing the countryside safely during the Covid-19 pandemic

Press Release

Responding to the statement today (9 April 2020) by Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, on access rights during the Covid-19 pandemic, Sarah-Jane Laing, Chief Executive of Scottish Land & Estates said: “It’s important for good physical and mental wellbeing that people have access to...

Scottish business community calls for clarity, consistency and cooperation in Covid-19 response

Press Release

Scotland’s leading business organisations have issued a joint-statement in response to the private sector’s role in tackling the Covid-19 crisis. The statement reads as follows: “As thirteen of Scotland’s leading business organisations, we speak as one in restating that protecting the lives and livelihoods of all Scottish citizens remains...

Coronavirus: Emergency business loan scheme revamped after criticism

General News

There has been widespread concern, acknowledged by the government, that some of the emergency measures to provide financial assistance to businesses are not working, with fewer that 1,000 loans being approved out of 130,000 enquiries. In response to the criticisms over the scheme the UK Government have announced that the emergency loans...

Kinross-shire Estate Maintains its Prestigious Conservation Accreditation

Press Release

A mixed agricultural, forestry and sporting estate in Kinross-shire, has been successfully re-assessed for a prestigious accreditation which recognises landowners who are committed to best practice in conservation, habitat and wildlife management. At 258 acres, Balruddrie Estate, a 2018 winner of a Purdey Award for their conservation...

Tenant Farming Commissioner and industry bodies advice on Coronavirus (COVID-19) on-site meetings

General News

The Tenant Farming Commissioner (TFC), in association with industry bodies NFUS (National Farmers Union, Scotland) and SLE (Scottish Land & Estates), on 30 March issued advice about the implications of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation for on-farm meetings. Coronavirus is making everyone reconsider activity and the farming community is...

Open letter to Cabinet Secretary for Finance regarding support for rural businesses

General News

Scottish Land & Estates has written to Kate Forbes MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, to express concerns regarding gaps in the support for rural businesses who are negatively impacted by the current pandemic. Letter to the Cabinet Secretary: Dear Cabinet Secretary, I am writing to you as a matter of urgency regarding the impact of the...

Delaying energy efficiency regulations the ‘right decision’

Press Release

The Scottish Government has announced that they have taken the decision not to introduce the Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, which had been due to come into force on 1 April 2020. SLE wrote an open letter to Kevin Stewart, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Local Government, Housing...

Public urged not to ride or hill walk in countryside

Press Release

People are being urged not to horse ride, mountain bike or hill walk in the countryside to avoid putting extra pressure on the emergency services. Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, has issued the plea after its members have reported having to help people who are injured, often in remote areas, at a time when people...