Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-05892, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on Scottish Government food policy. I remind members to speak thr...

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment (Richard Lochhead) SNP

Today we are discussing food policy. Given that in taking the issue forward I often deal with the James Hutton Institute, I use this opportunity to say how s...

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

In relation to the promotion of Scottish venison and putting it on a level playing field, can the cabinet secretary clarify the position on single farm payme...

Richard Lochhead SNP

Jamie McGrigor will be aware that we are currently in negotiation on the allowance for Scotland’s venison producers. We have made available £2 million for ne...

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) Green

I am curious at how Richard Lochhead can so easily segue from talking about local procurement and the importance of shorter supply chains into an enthusiasti...

Richard Lochhead SNP

I will return to some of those themes, but I will say that even 5 million people in Scotland could not consume all the whisky that we produce, so it is quite...

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

Will the cabinet secretary consider altering the balance between finance and quality in respect of the meat products contract for school meals?

Richard Lochhead SNP

There are a number of important issues in that regard that will no doubt feature in others members’ speeches.The hungry for success initiative, which was lau...

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

In September I was pleased to bring to the Parliament a members’ business debate on the Fife diet manifesto. I hoped to start or encourage discussion about o...

Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) SNP

Does the member agree that cuts in the FSA—the cuts emanated from the previous Labour Government in London and the coalition Government has made further cuts...

Claire Baker Lab

Since 2008, under the Scottish National Party’s watch, we have seen a reduction in the number of meat inspectors and environmental health officers. Under the...

Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) LD

I fear that Claire Baker is right that both this debate and the debates on food that are going on in different forms throughout the country have come out of ...

Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green) Green

Shelter, warmth and food are the basic things that keep us alive. According to psychologist Abraham Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs, just above those basi...

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

It is a long time since I have spoken in a debate involving food and farming issues. In fact, my background as a rabid, running-dog capitalist dairy farmer i...

Patrick Harvie Green

Will the member give way?

Alex Johnstone Con

I am coming to the end of my remarks.

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

The member is in his last minute.

Alex Johnstone Con

The idea that somehow buying better-quality cuts of meat might be an answer to this problem shows a misunderstanding of how the beef industry works. Of cours...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

You should be closing, please.

Alex Johnstone Con

I believe in high-quality produce from Scotland at cost-effective prices. I believe that this Government, if it is careful, is still steering the correct path.

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

Excellent. Thank you.15:02

Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP) SNP

The county of Angus is very much at the centre of Scotland’s flourishing food industry, from soft fruit to smokies to popular preserves. The part of the coun...

Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP) SNP

I am disappointed that Graeme Dey has not yet mentioned the famous Forfar bridie, which I would have thought was the most important thing to get on the recor...

Graeme Dey SNP

I must tell Bruce Crawford that I am being entirely parochial, and Forfar is not in my constituency.Beyond these islands, Mackays exports preserves to 50 cou...

Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab) Lab

I, too, am glad to take part in the Scottish Government’s debate on food policy, not least because food production is an important part of the economy of Dum...

Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) SNP

I am grateful that the member has taken an intervention.I agree that too many cookery programmes show meals that very few people will ever learn anything fro...

Elaine Murray Lab

Along those lines, l would like to see greater concentration on the cooking of healthy but inexpensive dishes—dishes that can be frozen for those whose time ...

Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP) SNP

I was delighted to hear that the Government had chosen the subject of food policy for today’s debate, and for a number of reasons.First, I am one of those pr...

Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) SNP

I add my condolences to those of the cabinet secretary on the deaths of the researchers from the James Hutton Institute, the Macaulay part of which is in my ...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

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 con...