MSP for the Highlands and Islands, Emma Roddick, has raised land banking investment scams – situations where small plots of agricultural land are advertised on the internet or over the phone as investment opportunities due to expected increases in value, which are often not based on reality – in the Scottish Parliament.

The SNP MSP said her team was dealing with “multiple reports” of such scams, particularly around Spean Bridge.

She said:

“The people of the Highlands are constantly taught that our opinions and needs on how the land around us should be used are just not as important as someone capable of flashing a lot of money.

“These scams are really concerning, and yet another example of communities having little power when it comes to preventing land being sold off in bits to the highest bidder.

“The Land Reform Bill is a huge opportunity to address these imbalances; an opportunity we must take.

“In the meantime, I hope that the UK Government will take action where it has to to prevent any more of my constituents being subject to these scams.”