Food Policy

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 3:46 pm on 7 November 2007.

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Photo of Mike Rumbles Mike Rumbles Liberal Democrat 3:46, 7 November 2007

I could not agree more. We think alike on that issue.

I would like Shona Robison to address the fair trade issue in her summing up and assure us that the Government will give due weight to fair trade in its deliberations.

Our criticisms of the Government on a national food policy relate to what we perceive to be its lack of action. The Government has had six months to examine the issue with stakeholders. It has conducted its rural listening tour, which is good. It has participated in debates on local food and agriculture, which is absolutely right. It has taken part in the what's on your plate? campaign with the NFUS, as the minister said. It has been in contact with local authorities and public sector suppliers. It has seen and debated last year's report by the former Environment and Rural Development Committee on the food supply chain. It has done an awful lot of work on the issue over the past six months, so I was looking forward to what it would come up with. However, all that it has come up with is a consultation.

Richard Lochhead has said that he has made supporting the food industry a "clear priority". If the consultation is all that he has come up with after six months of thinking about his priority, I wonder what he has done on his lesser commitments.

On 4 October 2006, Richard Lochhead said in this chamber that a new food policy was long overdue and that

"We need proactive action on the issue from Scotland's responsible minister".—[Official Report, 4 October 2006; c28135.]

I could not agree more. Richard Lochhead is absolutely right. I just want to see him take a little more action and make specific proposals.

I move amendment S3M-784.2, to insert at end:

"believes that educating children about where their food comes from must be central to any national food policy; resolves that early action is required to amend public procurement policy to ensure greater use of freshly produced healthy food in the public sector, including in our schools, hospitals and other public bodies; calls on the Scottish Government to assist in the development of farmers' co-operatives and farmers' markets, and further calls on the Scottish Government to work with retailers to encourage more use of local Scottish produce in stores."