Meeting of the Parliament 20 November 2014
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 destination. The chamber of commerce has joined with the region’s three destination marketing organisations—Visit Aberdeen, Visit Royal Deeside and Banffshire Coast Tourism Partnership—and with Aberdeenshire Council and the regional tourism partnership to submit a bid for funding to the VisitScotland 2015 food and drink growth fund. I hope that that bid is successful. This morning, I met Philip Smith, the regional director of VisitScotland for Aberdeen city and Aberdeenshire, and I sincerely hope that the initiative is successful. There is much to build on, not just the annual taste of Grampian event—I am sure that my colleague Christian Allard will speak about it—but the many agricultural shows and festivals that could be showcases for the region’s food and drink.
A huge improvement can be made in the hospitality sector. Skills development there was a main part of my conversation with Philip Smith this morning. Hospitality, with its potential for career progression, used to be a sought-after sector, and it needs to be so again.
I welcome the fact that “Becoming a Good Food Nation” does not concentrate only on food and drink production and food tourism but deals with the wider importance of food. I welcome the recent announcement on improving food standards in our hospitals. Although the food that is served in schools has improved, much still needs to be done to persuade our children and their parents of the long-term health effects of eating healthy and nutritious food—I see that, unfortunately, the school group has just left the public gallery.
There are still opportunities for councils and health boards to examine their procurement practices. Bulk buying from afar might not always be the most cost-effective option, and local producers can be competitive and more responsive to their needs.