Right Of Access To The Scottish Countryside

EDM number 2537 in 1992-93, proposed by Terry Patchett on 27/10/1993.

That this House deplores recent moves to reduce the right of access to the Scottish countryside; demands that the Government stop Scottish Natural Heritage from handing out tax-payers' money to some of the biggest land-owners in Scotland, enabling them to erect sign-posts restricting access to some of the best mountain terrain in the Scottish Highlands; further demands that there be no further privatisation of the Forestry Commission which would lead not only to a loss of valuable public assets but also to a loss of public access to the countryside, as can be seen from a recent survey indicating that existing access agreements regarding privatised woodlands have a 100 per cent. failure rate; condemns individual land-owners who try to stop or limit public access to popular spots such as the Salmon Leap at Gartness; and calls on the Government to take all necessary steps to defend and extend the people's right of access to the Scottish countryside.

This motion has been signed by a total of 95 MPs.