Meeting of the Parliament 09 December 2014
I thank members for their contributions. I welcome the breadth of support that the bill has received through all its parliamentary stages and the constructive nature of what members have said in the debate.
I share Richard Simpson’s concerns about TTIP, which I discussed with officials before I came to the chamber. The European Commission has repeatedly stated that consumer health and safety and environmental standards will not be lowered and that there is, for example, no prospect that genetically modified crops or hormone-treated beef will be allowed into the EU. We will keep watching that space to make sure that that does not happen.
On having an employee director on its board, ministers will ensure that employee representation arrangements will be included in the statement of performance of functions that food standards Scotland will be required to produce.
I completely agree with Richard Simpson about the provenance of food and use of additives, which is why we need to encourage use, as far as possible, of good wholesome food from local sources.
I say to Nanette Milne that ministers will ask FSS for detailed advice on the introduction of the food hygiene information scheme through regulations, which will probably take place in late 2015.
On appeals against administrative sanctions, I remind members that it is a legal requirement that all food law is fully consulted on. I give an assurance that the appeal mechanism for compliance notices will be consulted on, but I know from having spoken to the industry that no appeal mechanism is possible in relation to fixed penalties.
The bill offers us a chance to make a real difference on food safety and healthy diet, which are areas of significant concern to the public. Setting out in the bill a nutrition and diet objective for FSS will give the body a more transparent and strategic role in this area. Having a clearer remit will give FSS the impetus to lead partnerships with other public bodies to tackle specific food and diet issues. That clear remit will help to clear up confusion about roles and responsibilities among partners.
I remind members that, with the bill, we are not simply rebadging the Food Standards Agency in Scotland. As well as giving FSS a clearer and wider remit on diet and nutrition, we are safeguarding the link between food safety, nutrition and labelling here in Scotland. Food standards Scotland will take on all the functions that are currently exercised in Scotland by the Scottish division of the UK-wide Food Standards Agency. The remit of the Scottish division has been wider than that of the FSA south of the border for some years. In 2010, the UK Government removed responsibility for labelling and for nutrition policy from the English arm of the FSA. In Scotland, we maintained the link between those aspects and food safety. The UK Government’s decision was subsequently seen to have been a factor that hindered its response to the horsemeat scandal in 2013. The horsemeat scandal demonstrated the importance of having a single body that has clear responsibility for all aspects of food safety and standards.
It is important to note that the bill also requires FSS to operate in a way that is proportionate, transparent and accountable, and to carry out good decision making, which includes consulting people and making its decisions publicly available. That will help to build a new relationship with consumers, and is one example of how FSS will operate differently from how the FSA currently operates.
Another key new feature of the arrangements that we are making in Scotland involves making Scottish research more joined up. The FSS will play a more involved role in co-ordinating all grant-funded research into food and diet that is carried out by Scottish research bodies such as the Rowett institute of nutrition and health, and the James Hutton Institute.
Claire Baker is not in the chamber at the moment, but she asked about co-ordination of effort. It is proposed that there will be better co-ordination between the NHS and food standards Scotland. Through its creation, we can have better co-ordination between the FSS, the NHS and the Scottish Government.
I also agree with Claire Baker that we have, as a nation, lost our way on food portions. In our house, we were recently replacing chipped dinner plates, and I made sure that they were replaced with smaller ones. We will wait to see whether it makes a difference.
Linking grant-funded research to its research will provide FSS with a much wider knowledge base and a greater ability to co-ordinate efforts and focus. We will not lose the links with the rest of the UK and Europe. The UK Government and the FSA have given written assurance regarding access to scientific advice and representation in Europe for FSS.
Knowledge sharing goes two ways, of course. There are areas of expertise in Scotland—for example, on shellfish and E coli—which our colleagues in the rest of the UK will still wish to tap into.
I will now reflect on some of the issues that we have considered in the debate today. First, I will recap on the importance of section 5 and the statement on performance of functions. As I said in my opening speech, food standards Scotland will be operationally autonomous, so the statement will achieve transparency and will, we hope, build public confidence and trust. The statement is where we will find assurance on operational matters such as the method of publication of reports.
I give members a firm assurance that I will make certain that the issues that have been raised in the debate and that were proposed through stage 3 amendments will be considered carefully for inclusion in the statement on performance. That will hopefully offer clarity on a number of the issues that have been raised today.
Members have made very helpful contributions today. I thank them for all their input throughout all the bill’s stages. As Jackson Carlaw mentioned, I have picked up the Food (Scotland) Bill only now, at stage 3, and I am glad that it has been fairly uncontentious. I hope that it will be passed unanimously at decision time today.