Hansard

I am delighted to contribute to this member’s business debate, which was secured by my colleague and best bud Gordon MacDonald, on the vision for a new centre for sustainable brewing and distilling at Heriot-Watt University. Mr MacDonald has been well known for supporting the industry quite vigorously himself over the years and in the time that I have known him.

Scotland’s brewing and distilling heritage is internationally renowned, from the whisky distilleries of Speyside to the craft breweries that are emerging across our nation. Those industries are not just part of our cultural identity; they are vital contributors to our economy, supporting thousands of jobs and generating billions in export revenue.

The establishment of a dedicated centre for sustainable brewing and distilling at Heriot-Watt University represents an exciting opportunity to cement Scotland’s position as a world leader in the sector. The centre will combine academic excellence with practical industry application, ensuring that our brewing and distilling sectors remain at the cutting edge of innovation and sustainability.

Sustainability is no longer optional—it is essential. The brewing and distilling industries face significant challenges to reduce their environmental impact, from water usage and energy consumption to waste management and carbon emissions. The new centre will provide the research, innovation and training that are needed to address those challenges head on.

What makes the initiative particularly exciting is its potential to support businesses of all sizes, from multinational corporations to small craft producers.

As you know, Presiding Officer, all roads lead to Paisley. In my constituency, we are incredibly proud of the Two Towns Down brewery, which is the first brewery in the town of Paisley for 125 years and was founded in 2019 by Heriot-Watt graduate Sandy McKelvie. Two Towns Down is a perfect example of how a world-class education in brewing and distilling can translate into a thriving local business. Sandy honed his skills at the university before launching his brewery, which now operates a successful taproom and hosts community events, including brewery tours, beer festivals and popular monthly quiz nights.

The new centre for sustainable brewing and distilling will also play a crucial role in skills development. Scotland needs a highly skilled workforce to maintain our competitive advantage in those sectors. By providing world-class education and training in sustainable brewing and distilling practice, the university will help to ensure that we have the talent pipeline that is necessary to drive innovation and growth for decades to come, producing more success stories such as Sandy McKelvie and Two Towns Down in Paisley.

This initiative is about more than just environmental responsibility, although that alone would be reason enough to support it. It is about securing Scotland’s economic future in sectors where we already excel. It is about creating high-quality jobs and supporting our communities, where many distilleries and breweries are located. It is, of course, about Paisley and the fact that we have our first brewery in 125 years—a family business that works in our community and is an important part of the community. It is about ensuring that Scottish products remain the benchmark for quality and sustainability in global markets.

I commend Gordon MacDonald for bringing this important matter to the Parliament’s attention, and I look forward to seeing the centre for sustainable brewing and distilling at Heriot-Watt University flourish and continue to make a lasting contribution to Scotland’s economic and environmental future.