Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 15 June 2022
15 Jun 2022 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Many civil society organisations have worked hard for years to help to assemble the ingredients for this bill. I especially acknowledge all the member organisations of the Scottish Food Coalition, which kept the issue of good food on the table. I also thank my colleagues and clerks on the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee, which led parliamentary scrutiny of the bill. In that process, I put the bill under the grill. Today, after months of engagement with the Government under the Bute house agreement, I am proud of what we are serving up.
Scotland has so much good food to bring to the table, but it is clear that most of our country is not well served by the food system. The motivation that is baked into the global food system, which is to produce the most calories for the least cost, is profoundly damaging to people’s health, to nature and animals and to our climate. It also drives injustice. Many of our farmers, food producers and supply chain workers cannot afford to buy the food that they produce, and many people struggle to put food on the table, while big retail corporations make comfortable profits.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-04938, in the name of Mairi Gougeon, on the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill. Members who wish to partic...
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands (Mairi Gougeon)
SNP
I very much welcome this opportunity to open the stage 3 debate on the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill. I begin by thanking members from across the Parliame...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I advise members that there is absolutely no time in hand and that I will vigorously enforce the time limit for each speaker. I call Rachael Hamilton, who h...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to speak in today’s debate on the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill, which provides an opportunity to address some of the key issues that we face...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you very much, Ms Hamilton. I am sure that we all agree that George Adam is the very embodiment of a good food nation. I call Colin Smyth. 17:18
Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
It will be hard to follow that. We have come a long way since the Government challenged the very idea that we need legislation to underpin our ambition to b...
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
I am pleased to speak today at stage 3 of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill. Scottish Liberal Democrats have supported the creation of a good food nation ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you, Ms Wishart. We now move to the open debate. I call Jenni Minto to be followed by Brian Whittle. You have up to four minutes, Ms Minto. 17:27
Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
SNP
It is a privilege to speak in the stage 3 debate on our Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill. I thank my committee colleagues, the clerks and our witnesses. I al...
Rachael Hamilton
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Jenni Minto
SNP
I have just about finished my speech. Jayne Jones believes that the bill will ensure that appropriate food plans can be developed for Argyll and Bute and Sc...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I am delighted that we have reached the stage 3 debate on the bill. Given how long it has taken us to get here, I was becoming concerned that I might succumb...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I thank all those who have campaigned for years to get us to this stage, particularly my colleagues Elaine Smith and Rhoda Grant, and I thank those in the Sc...
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
If it is incredibly brief.
Monica Lennon
Lab
I will be quick. I was keen to say this to Jenni Minto. It was great to hear about Dunoon grammar school and its achievements, but does Sarah Boyack agree th...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
The critical issue will be the funding that follows, which the SNP-Green Government needs to get sorted. WWF Scotland made good points about supporting farm...
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
Many civil society organisations have worked hard for years to help to assemble the ingredients for this bill. I especially acknowledge all the member organi...
Brian Whittle
Con
Will the member give way?
Ariane Burgess
Green
I need to make progress. The bill is an opportunity to forge a different path and to change Scotland’s food system for the better, so that everyone has acce...
Monica Lennon
Lab
Will the member give way?
Ariane Burgess
Green
I need to make progress. I persisted in making the case for such a body and I am delighted that the Greens and the Scottish Government agreed that an indepe...
Kaukab Stewart (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in support of what is one of the most important pieces of legislation that we will pass during this parliamentary ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to finish now, Ms Stewart. 17:48
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I am relieved that we have a bill in front of us that is much improved from the one that we were presented with before. As Colin Smyth said, the major improv...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to contribute to the stage 3 debate on the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill. As the convener of the committee that considered the bill, I put ...
Mairi Gougeon
SNP
I thank members for their contributions to the debate. I also thank them for their well wishes today and yesterday. I assure the Parliament that no one is mo...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Cabinet secretary, I ask you to pause briefly. I am aware of several conversations going on in the chamber at the moment. I would be grateful if members woul...
Mairi Gougeon
SNP
The language that we have used is important, because it has legal effect, and the Scottish Government can be held to account—and has been, in the past—becaus...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Please conclude, cabinet secretary.