Improving transparency in land ownership in Scotland: a consultation on controlling interests in land

Chapter 6: Assessing impact

1. The Scottish Government believes that its land reform programme has an important part to play in realising our ambitions for a fairer Scotland. Throughout this consultation phase we will be considering the potential positive and negative effects of our proposals for these regulations. As part of the analysis of this consultation we will consider views from respondents on these issues. We invite respondents to answer the questions below.

Equality

2. The Scottish Government is committed to promoting equality and removing or minimising disadvantage which maybe experienced by different groups of people. We have a legal duty to consider the impact of policies on people who may be differently affected in relation to the "protected characteristics" under the Equality Act 2010. The protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

QUESTION 53: Please tell us about any potential impacts, either positive or negative, that you consider that the proposals in this consultation may have in respect of equality issues. Please be as specific as possible.

Business and regulation

3. A full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment will be carried out to analyse whether these regulations are likely to increase or reduce the costs and burdens placed on businesses, the public sector and voluntary or community organisations.

QUESTION 54: Please tell us about any potential costs and burdens that may arise as a result of the proposals within this consultation, and any increase or reduction in the burden of regulation for any sector. Please be as specific as possible.

Privacy

4. The Scottish Government is mindful that proposals that require people to disclose information are likely to have impacts in respect of privacy. As we have noted in chapter 4 in relation to the information to be disclosed as a result of these regulations, we invite views on the information that it is appropriate to disclose and we will of course consider relevant data protection legislation as we develop our proposals. A full Privacy Impact Assessment will be conducted to ascertain whether any of the proposals in this consultation will have an impact on the privacy of individuals.

QUESTION 55: Please tell us about any potential impacts, either positive or negative, upon the privacy of individuals that may arise as a result of any of the proposals contained in this consultation. Please be as specific as possible.

Environmental

5. The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 ensures those public plans that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment are assessed and measures to prevent or reduce adverse impacts are sought, where possible, prior to a consultation or implementation of the plan in question.

6. At this early stage in policy development for these regulations it is not possible to assess whether environmental impacts will arise. Following this consultation, an assessment will be made as to whether we have complied with our obligations under the 2005 Act.

QUESTION 56: Please tell us about any potential impacts, either positive or negative, that you consider that any of the proposals in this consultation may have on the environment. Please be as specific as possible.