Section 97: Scottish Land Court: jurisdiction
397.This section empowers the Scottish Land Court to conduct hearings into and determine matters of fact and law relating to the exercise of the crofting community right to buy.
398.Subsection (1) indicates that the powers of the Scottish Land Court are limited in two respects. Firstly because decisions under section 79 fall to be made by Ministers, and secondly because Section 91 gives the sheriff jurisdiction on hearing and determining appeals on points of law against decisions by Ministers to consent or refuse to consent to applications.
399.Subsection (2) provides for consequential amendment of section 1(7) of the Scottish Land Court Act 1993 (c.45). This allows the Court, if it thinks fit, and requires it, on the request of any party, to state a special case on any question of law arising in any proceedings pending before it under Part 3 for the opinion of the Inner House of the Court of Session.
400.The decision of the Scottish Land Court on the matters over which it exercises jurisdiction is final unless a referral is made to the Inner House of the Court of Session under the 1993 Act (as amended by subsection (2)).
401.Subsection (3) provides that there is no appeal to the full Scottish Land Court in the event that a matter referred to the Court under Part 3 is determined by a single member of the Court acting under delegation from the full Court.
