(213)  Scottish Parliament at work: from dog fouling to tenant farmers

As the first term of the Scottish Parliament drew to a close, two significant measures completed their parliamentary passage.  The Dog Fouling (Scotland) Bill, source of much press derision, was passed on 13 March 2003: it allows council officers to impose on-the-spot fines of £40 on those who fail to scoop poop, this becoming a civil offence without the need for corroboration.  The Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill, passed on 12 March 2003, allows tenant farmers a right to buy when the landowner decides to sell, and enables them to use the land for non-agricultural purposes.  Like the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, this Bill is controversial because some think that the incentive to invest in landownership is being significantly reduced.