HAMISH MACDONELL
SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR

LANDOWNERS, farmers and householders whose property is damaged by protests at this year's G8 summit will not receive a penny in compensation from the government, The Scotsman has learned.

The Foreign Office confirmed yesterday it would not pay for any damage caused by demonstrators, up to 200,000 of whom are expected to cause widespread disruption across Central Scotland in July.

Many landowners are braced for tens of thousands of protesters to swarm across their land when the leaders of the world's richest nations converge on Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire for the summit, which runs from 6 to 8 July.

The five-star venue will play host to the likes of Tony Blair, George Bush, Jacques Chirac, Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi. Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, is also expected to attend the historic event.

Landowners fear the police cordon around the hotel complex will force the protesters to gather on their land, causing untold damage to property, livestock and homes.

Martin Haldane's land runs along the south side of the hotel grounds and he is incensed that the Foreign Office is refusing to accept responsibility for any problems. He said he had been as co-operative as possible with the police in helping to prepare for the summit, but that it had to be a two-way process.

"My prime objective is to get the Foreign Office to take ownership of what is going to happen," he said. "It is generally accepted that there is a considerable potential for trouble and, as I understand it, it is often unfocused - protesting generally at the capitalist system.

"I would suspect, therefore, that private-land ownership may be one of their targets. Given that they will be unable to get into the Gleneagles Hotel complex, they may well transfer their attention to the area immediately outside it. We will be in the front line."

Mr Haldane said the government's decision to portray the summit as being at Gleneagles, rather than specifically at the hotel, could turn his Gleneagles House and estate into a target for protesters thinking it had something to do with the summit.

There are about 50 people living in farms and cottages on his Gleneagles estate, as well as hundreds of sheep and other livestock, all of which could be affected by the protests.

Mr Haldane's land includes a number of hills that overlook the hotel, and protest groups have already announced they will set up bases on hills to protest against the G8 leaders a few miles away.

Landowners may be able to obtain insurance to cover their land and property against damage caused by demonstrators.

However, Mr Haldane's policy is due for renewal next month, and he says he expects his premium to shoot up because of the potential fallout from the summit.

The prospect of damage and hefty bills for landowners has been acknowledged by police as a potentially serious issue.

John Vine, the Chief Constable of Tayside, who is charge of policing the summit, said:

"We have to do our best to protect people's well-being and property, but I can't give a cast-iron guarantee there won't be trouble, and I don't think anyone would expect me to, even under normal policing conditions, let alone the events that will unfold in July."

A Foreign Office spokeswoman confirmed that the government would not pay for any damage caused by the protests, but she stressed that the police would do everything possible to prevent trouble.

She also suggested that Mr Haldane should "shop around" to find the best insurance quote for his land and property.

"What we cannot do is compensate individuals. We cannot set a precedent. This is covered by insurance policies," she said, adding: "The police are working very hard to make sure there is no damage to property."