Chamber and committees

Thank you.

Processed meat differs from non-processed meat. We should be advocating healthier leaner cuts of beef or lamb, for instance, rather than processed meat, which contains more salt and may have other issues. Is that where we need to be good at communicating with people?

I have remembered what I was going to ask about the food commission. This will be my final question. Why is a food commission proposed when we already have Food Standards Scotland? What is the difference? Why do we need both? Will there be an overlap in their work?

May I ask one final question?

I have a final question, which is directed to Gordon Arthur. Dumfries Cricket Club, which is based at Nunholm, has adopted a one-club ethos as part of its strategy to grow the club. Its website states:

“We are an open and inclusive cricket club. We welcome everyone of any age, sex, sexual orientation, ability or ethnicity.”

It also talks about the one-club ethos being critical as part of its development. Will Cricket Scotland monitor that on the ground? Though the Western District Cricket Union, will you adopt and deliver that as something that you want to emulate across all cricket clubs?

How are people being communicated with? Is it face to face?

Picking up on Gillian Mackay’s point, I have been a type 1 diabetic since I was 12 years old, so I have been counting carbs since I was a wean. There are apps that can be used to look at that. It is not just about salt and sugar; it is about high-glucose-index versus low-glucose-index carbs. It is really complicated. Does Food Standards Scotland have, or would you look at having, digital support directly on your website to support the downloading of apps, for instance, so that folk such as Gillian and me could use diabetes dose adjustment for normal eating, which helps all type 1s to count carbs? That would be useful. Could Food Standards Scotland look at delivering that digitally?

Thank you. Talking of evidence and stuff like that, last week I was at a Quality Meat Scotland event in the Scottish Parliament, which was sponsored by Jim Fairlie MSP. Professor Alice Stanton gave a presentation on red meat. The red meat supply chain generates more than £2 billion annually for the Scottish economy. Professor Stanton, who is a cardiovascular pharmacologist from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, presented information to counter what has been published in The Lancet on what people’s red meat intake should be in a day—70g, which is two slices of roast meat or two sausages. She said that the information in The Lancet did not meet the criteria for proper scrutiny under the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses—PRISMA—guidelines, which relate to the global burden of disease. She suggested that the standard recommendation—70g of meat per day—which is repeated by everyone, had not been adequately researched.

Is Food Standards Scotland aware of Professor Alice Stanton’s information? Does it mean that the recommendations for red meat consumption need to be revised?

You talked about different local authorities and how they engage. Some local authorities are looking to sign up to the Plant Based Treaty and are talking about taking meat away from schools and care homes. Is that something that you are aware of? Would you endorse that? We have just talked about red meat and how the evidence base shows that people are required to have it as part of a balanced diet. Are you concerned about the Plant Based Treaty?

You mentioned Sporting Equals. What role does it have in the process?