Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 12 March 2013
12 Mar 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Food Policy
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 countries worldwide.
Of course, from our neck of the woods comes perhaps the most renowned foodstuff of Angus—the smokie. It is generally referred to as the Arbroath smokie, but it actually hails from the nearby coastal village of Auchmithie, which is about 3 miles north of the town. Local legend has it that the smokie came about because of a fire in a store one night, which destroyed barrels of haddock that was preserved in salt. The following morning, the locals came to clean up the ruin and discovered that haddock that had cooked inside the burned barrels was not only edible but quite tasty. That might be a romanticised version of how the smokie came about, but I prefer that version.
Arbroath’s connection with the smokie comes from the end of the 19th century, when the local fishing industry was in terminal decline. Arbroath town council offered the fisher folk of Auchmithie land in an area of the town that was known as the fit o the toon and the use of the harbour. The offer was too good to turn down and, all these years on, a number of businesses that are located around the harbour are producing Arbroath smokies and making them widely available through major supermarkets in the UK and worldwide via the internet. Since 2004, the smokie has enjoyed protected status.
I recognise entirely that I could be accused of making a largely parochial contribution to the debate, but I hope that I will not be the last member to highlight the role that their area plays in the success story that is Scotland’s food and drink industry. The industry is as nationwide as it is wide ranging in nature. From almost every corner of our country comes a contribution. From the Parliament should come the message today that we welcome and will continue to support those contributions. The horsemeat scandal has focused attention on food and served to remind us all of the importance of having the appropriate safeguards in place, but we should not for one minute lose sight of one simple fact—when it comes to food and drink, the made in Scotland branding is respected the world over, and with good reason.
I conclude by highlighting the work of the Royal Highland Education Trust. The cabinet secretary mentioned the importance of educating young people about healthy food and where food comes from. In Angus and across Scotland, the RHET does fantastic work on that. I hope that members will join me in congratulating it on that.
15:08
Beyond these islands, Mackays exports preserves to 50 countries worldwide.
Of course, from our neck of the woods comes perhaps the most renowned foodstuff of Angus—the smokie. It is generally referred to as the Arbroath smokie, but it actually hails from the nearby coastal village of Auchmithie, which is about 3 miles north of the town. Local legend has it that the smokie came about because of a fire in a store one night, which destroyed barrels of haddock that was preserved in salt. The following morning, the locals came to clean up the ruin and discovered that haddock that had cooked inside the burned barrels was not only edible but quite tasty. That might be a romanticised version of how the smokie came about, but I prefer that version.
Arbroath’s connection with the smokie comes from the end of the 19th century, when the local fishing industry was in terminal decline. Arbroath town council offered the fisher folk of Auchmithie land in an area of the town that was known as the fit o the toon and the use of the harbour. The offer was too good to turn down and, all these years on, a number of businesses that are located around the harbour are producing Arbroath smokies and making them widely available through major supermarkets in the UK and worldwide via the internet. Since 2004, the smokie has enjoyed protected status.
I recognise entirely that I could be accused of making a largely parochial contribution to the debate, but I hope that I will not be the last member to highlight the role that their area plays in the success story that is Scotland’s food and drink industry. The industry is as nationwide as it is wide ranging in nature. From almost every corner of our country comes a contribution. From the Parliament should come the message today that we welcome and will continue to support those contributions. The horsemeat scandal has focused attention on food and served to remind us all of the importance of having the appropriate safeguards in place, but we should not for one minute lose sight of one simple fact—when it comes to food and drink, the made in Scotland branding is respected the world over, and with good reason.
I conclude by highlighting the work of the Royal Highland Education Trust. The cabinet secretary mentioned the importance of educating young people about healthy food and where food comes from. In Angus and across Scotland, the RHET does fantastic work on that. I hope that members will join me in congratulating it on that.
15:08
In the same item of business
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
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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
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