Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 20 November 2014
20 Nov 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Food and Drink
The member’s suspicion may have some grounds. For many businesses it is daunting to get into exports, but those that have done so usually do not regret it and find that it is a lucrative marketplace. That is why a number of initiatives are in place to mentor and work with small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular, to help them to get into the international marketplace.
Of course, 2014 brought a huge boost to the reputation of Scottish food and drink. The eyes of the world were on Scotland, and our food and drink did not disappoint. We successfully delivered a fantastic offering at the Ryder cup, the Glasgow Commonwealth games and homecoming 2014. It is difficult to visualise, but more than 2 million meals were prepared for athletes, officials, media, the workforce and spectators at the Commonwealth games alone, and with such vast volumes of produce, Glasgow 2014 set a new gold standard in delivering major events in Scotland in a sustainable way.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is a debate on motion S4M-11598, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on food and drink. I call Richa...
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment (Richard Lochhead)
SNP
Food is something that we all enjoy and often take for granted. Today, we can reflect on its importance to Scotland and, indeed, to the world, because the wo...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
The document “Becoming a Good Food Nation” refers to developing a children’s food policy. Does the cabinet secretary agree that training and giving opportuni...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
The member makes a good point. It is ironic that we have fantastic, nutritious food on our doorstep but not enough people, particularly our children, enjoy a...
Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
SNP
Can the minister confirm my suspicion that starting to export is far more difficult than carrying it on? Probably, most businesses struggle to see an oversea...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
The member’s suspicion may have some grounds. For many businesses it is daunting to get into exports, but those that have done so usually do not regret it an...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
The cabinet secretary is right to point to the resounding success of those events. It has been suggested to me, however, that because of the sponsorship rela...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Cabinet secretary, I can give you some time back for the interventions.
Richard Lochhead
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer. It was certainly the case that we made huge strides with the Commonwealth games. Compared with, perhaps, every previous Common...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I am delighted to open the debate for Labour. This is an exciting time for the food and drink sector and, as the recent Bank of Scotland report on the sector...
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
As debates of this nature go on and draw to a close, there is usually a degree of repetition. I am sorry to say that we are only at speech number three and a...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
Is the member not aware that political debates are not over when everything has been said? They are over only when everyone has said it.
Alex Fergusson
Con
If Mr Stevenson is accusing me of accusing him of being repetitious, I will reserve judgment on that until later in the debate. Not for the first time, I am...
Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to speak in today’s debate on food and drink, not least because, as members can probably tell, I am no stranger to the first-class food and drin...
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, am happy to support the motion and the proposals in the discussion document “Becoming a Good Food Nation”. I also support Claire Baker’s amendment an...
Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
I must first compliment the cabinet secretary, for it is thanks to his ambition and drive in implementing our food and drink policy that the sector has under...
Alex Fergusson
Con
Given the legislation that we debated earlier this week, I wonder about the wisdom of visiting two distilleries and then continuing to travel north.
Mike MacKenzie
SNP
I was assuming that neither of us was driving. We should lunch at the Eusk restaurant, which has a selection of great local foods available that are prepare...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Thank you, Mr MacKenzie. I am glad that I managed to fit in lunch today or this debate would have been agony. 15:22
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
After that, the chances of Mike MacKenzie keeping the increase in his waistline to less than 2 inches in the next few months are limited. The advisability of...
Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, am pleased to take part in the debate. It follows the successful VisitScotland event that was held yesterday evening, which focused on Scotland’s yea...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Does the member agree that, within Scotland, it is important that freight is moved increasingly from road on to rail? She will know the arguments for doing t...
Maureen Watt
SNP
Yes, of course. That is one aspect that we will look at in our inquiry. The north-east is not just a food larder; it has huge potential as a food destinatio...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
You must draw to a close.
Maureen Watt
SNP
In conclusion, the need for families to have access to better food has been mentioned. It is welcome that the NFUS briefing for the debate said that the achi...
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of the motion and, in particular, in support of Scottish Labour’s amendment, which stresses the importance of a...
Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
SNP
Many of the themes that have already been highlighted might well, as Alex Fergusson has suggested, be repeated. However, I want to home in on this excellent ...
Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Sitting in the chamber yesterday afternoon, I realised how much this nation has changed since I came to the country. This Parliament is responsible for a lot...
Margaret McDougall (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
It is a great pleasure to speak in the debate. As we have heard, the food and drink industry is a huge part of Scotland’s economy, which generated £13.9 bill...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
We are now tighter for time. I call Stewart Stevenson, who has up to six minutes now. 16:02