Current progress

Scottish Outdoor Access Code
consultation period
Advice on responding
MCofS consultation response (pdf)
latest SOAC draft

Previous events

The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill
first impressions
MCofS evidence
Supplementary Evidence
Reaction to Committee Report
Parliament Now Fully Engaged in Access Debate
Threat to night time access
Confusion on Outdoor Education

Is Trespass Illegal in Scotland ?
Commercial Activities in the Hills?
Needs of the people, not just Skibo's guests
Access to Balmoral Estate secured

Passing of Bill welcomed
What happens now?
Royal Assent given to Act

Draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill -
Consultation Paper
MCofS response
Petition taken to Parliament
 

The Bill can be downloaded in PDF format from the Scottish Parliament website.
It comes in 3 parts:
The Bill (as introduced)
now superseded by The Bill (as amended at stage 2)
Explanatory Notes (and other accompanying documents)
Policy Memorandum
and finally - The Bill (as passed) These documents do not appear to work with Adobe Acrobat Reader version 3. Use version 4 or 5.
Scottish Outdoor Access Code (the code)

Also available is a research document, which looks at some of the consultation responses to the original draft, and the changes made in the latest version of the bill.

The Parliamentary process over the first few weeks (stage 1) involved the Bill being considered by the Parliamentary Committees. The lead committee for this Bill was the Justice 2 Committee. Details of the Bill and the Justice 2 committee can be found on the Scottish Parliament website.
The Justice 2 Committee called for written evidence to be submitted to them by 21st December 2001, and we submitted our response.

The other committees which were involved in the progress of the bill through stage 1 were:
Rural Development
Education Culture and Sport
Local Government
Subordinate Legislation

The secondary committees completed their gathering of evidence and compiled their reports which were submitted to the lead committee. Indeed, Rural Affairs published theirs early, to the annoyance of the lead committee. The Justice 2 Committee published their stage 1 report on 15th March. The full report, including the reports of the other committees and the evidence taken can be read on the Scottish Parliament website.
Summary     Report    Evidence
The report was considered in the 'Stage 1 debate' by the full parliament on Wednesday 20th March 2002, and MSPs agreed by 92 votes to 16 to support the general principles of the Bill. This concluded stage 1. Stage 2, during which the Justice 2 Committee and other interested MSPs debated the various amendments tabled is now also complete, and an amended copy of the bill published. The stage 3 debate was held in the full chamber on 22nd and 23rd January 2003. The result of the stage 3 debate is the completed bill which will pass into law. See the diary section for details as they happen.

Now this has happened, and before the new law comes into force, attention switches to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Scottish Natural Heritage have held a 12 week consultation period on it. After consideration of the responses, a revised code has be put up for approval by the Executive and then Parliament. After this process the law will finally come into force.