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Meeting of the Parliament 12 March 2013

12 Mar 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Food Policy

Baxter, Jayne Lab Mid Scotland and Fife Watch on SPTV

Last week, in a restaurant that is situated just off the Fife coastal path, I tried beetroot ice cream. I admit that it will not be my first choice for a cone when the weather improves, but it was locally sourced and well made. Although that seems flippant, there is a serious point behind the story. I recognise that I am lucky in having the opportunity to try such food. That taps into the spirit of the Scottish Government’s motion, which is very much a celebration of Scotland’s famous larder.

It is true that Scotland’s food is excellent. Diverse producers continue to produce high-quality and innovative food. The Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill that is making its way through the Parliament has emphasised the importance of our food and drink industries to the economy. While it is undeniable that events such as the Ryder cup and the Commonwealth games will be opportunities for visitors from around the globe to enjoy and appreciate that food, the motion could just as easily be one about Scotland’s tourism industry. I recognise the Scottish Government’s wish to be seen publicly to support our food industry, especially in light of the meat supply chain scandals that we debated only recently in the chamber, but today’s motion ignores many of the important developments in the past few weeks and months. As my colleagues have outlined, it is those developments that Labour’s amendment seeks to highlight.

The Scottish Government’s 2010 policy leaflet from the conference on Scotland’s national food and drink policy, the apparent success of which policy the motion welcomes so warmly, states:

“It’s our profound belief that every single person in Scotland should be able to access healthy, affordable and sustainable food.”

Those are wise words, but I believe that that statement sums up the problems facing many of our communities today—that is, too many people are not able to access healthy food that is affordable and available in their neighbourhood.

I have spoken previously of my visit to the food bank in Dunfermline. Since September 2012, the 40 volunteers there have distributed more than 1,750kg of food. That is a lot of food going to many people who simply cannot afford to eat. We must face up to the reality that many of Scotland’s consumers have difficult decisions to make when doing their weekly shop. When they buy food either to feed themselves or their whole family, they must be able to trust what is on the label, whatever their budget.

The recent Unison members’ survey rightly highlighted concerns about the future of our food safety services. Environmental health officers and other food safety officials have seen their numbers drop over the past few years; in the case of meat inspectors, their numbers have been cut by half. In the current climate, after the horsemeat scandal, it seems fairly obvious even to a lay bystander that any scheduled inspections in the meat processing and food industry will not find major flaws. Random sampling and random inspections of food production facilities should be kept up as much as possible. I look forward to hearing the Scottish Government’s response on that issue.

The question about trust is repeated when we look at the procurement contracts that are in place. The food that reaches the Scottish population through many of our care services, schools and hospitals is one step removed from the marketplace. In such circumstances, the consumer is not able to go into a shop, look at the label and make their own decision about the produce on offer; they are presented with a finished meal that they must hope is from good-quality correctly labelled produce. It is therefore vital that the public services that source their food through procurement contracts are able to make decisions on more than just a cost basis. The quality of the produce on offer should be weighted against the price; if possible, the economic benefits for the wider community, such as local supply chains, should also be considered by the purchasing body.

It is clear that food access and affordability is a complex issue. As part of the development process for the Scottish Government’s food policy, the leadership forum’s report in 2009 noted:

“There is a real danger that a food and drink policy looks like an attempt to lecture or coerce communities.”

It seems to me that in today’s debate there is a real danger that the Scottish Government is forgetting those communities who would welcome the opportunity to be able to access a healthy diet for themselves and their families at a price that they can afford. We should certainly celebrate Scotland’s international reputation for high-quality food and drink and the huge contribution that it makes to the Scottish economy, but that should never be at the expense of ignoring the difficult day-to-day reality facing families, schoolchildren, hospital patients and care residents in accessing quality, affordable food.

15:33

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Meeting of the Parliament 12 March 2013

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