Urgent action is needed to ensure the future of Scotland’s tenant farming sector, a new report from MSPs has warned.

Holyrood’s Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee wants the Scottish Government to look again at the Agricultural Holdings (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill, which they say fails to address key challenges facing farmers.

The committee wants the Bill to include measures to attract new people into farming, tighten up regulation of land agents, and introduce a more effective method of dispute resolution.

They also want to make sure no farmers are unnecessarily excluded from the benefits of the changes proposed by the legislation.

Committee convener Rob Gibson MSP said: "The committee unanimously supports this Bill which makes some modest, but overdue and necessary changes to agricultural holdings law in Scotland.

“We hope these changes will be a step in the right direction towards establishing an appropriate balance between landlords and tenants in our farming communities.

"However, it is clear from the evidence we received that there are many other outstanding issues that need to be addressed to ensure that Scotland has a healthy and vibrant tenant farming sector to pass on to future generations.

“We recommend that the Scottish Government continues to address these issues as a matter of urgency."