Chamber and committees

Would Martin Reid like to kick off on that?

I will bring in James Withers on that. However, I also want to go round the panel again.

One thing that it always comes down to is budget. We know what the Scottish Government’s policy objectives are. However, do we have adequate funding in place for the food-and-drink-related policies within its objectives?

I invite James to touch on the other question and to make some comments on the budget. We will then go round the panel again to close the session.

Good morning, and welcome to the second meeting in session 6 of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee. I ask everyone who is using electronic devices to switch them to silent, please.

I formally welcome Beatrice Wishart, who replaces Liam McArthur on the committee. I thank Liam for his very brief but important contribution to the committee’s work. I invite Beatrice to declare any interests or say that she has no relevant interests to declare.

The next item of business is the selection of our new deputy convener. The Parliament has agreed that only members of the Scottish Liberal Democrats are eligible for nomination as deputy convener of the committee, so no seconder is required. Do we agree to choose Beatrice Wishart as our deputy convener?

Members indicated agreement.

Beatrice Wishart was chosen as deputy convener.

We have an hour for this session. It would be helpful if witnesses could keep their opening remarks brief, as I am sure that members have plenty of questions to ask.

Thank you all for your informative opening statements. We will now move to questions, for which we have approximately 40 minutes.

We will touch on a number of themes, including the good food nation bill and “Ambition 2030—A growth strategy for farming, fishing, food and drink”, but first I want to ask the panel how you work together. You all represent different sectors in the food industry with different ambitions, but how can you work together to solve some of the issues and to put together a coherent position that will then feed into the Scottish Government policies relating to some of the issues that you have touched on, such as healthy diets, social security, food poverty and so on? How can you come together to provide a coherent message for the Scottish Government to take on board?

The next item is a decision on taking business in private. The committee is asked to agree to take in private discussions about the evidence from today’s meeting and future meetings. Returning members will remember that such discussions follow each evidence session and allow members to freely discuss issues that are raised during the evidence sessions. The discussions greatly help officials when we take evidence as part of an inquiry and when a report is to be drafted.

Do we agree to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Our main item of business is an introductory session on Scotland’s food and drink supply chain with key stakeholders. Today’s session is the first of a series of introductory sessions that the committee will hold before the October recess. The sessions provide an opportunity for members to explore all the key issues that span the policy areas that the committee will cover over session 6.

I welcome our first witnesses, who join us remotely. Geoff Ogle is the chief executive of Food Standards Scotland; Fraser Grieve is the deputy director of strategy and communications for the Scotch Whisky Association; James Withers is the chief executive of Scotland Food & Drink; and Professor Mary Brennan is the chair of the Scottish Food Coalition.

I invite Geoff Ogle to make a brief opening statement.

I have a couple of questions before we close. Although I recognise that, as James Withers has said, the food industry is dominated by SMEs—we have some fantastic examples of artisan producers selling online and adding value to products—a vast amount of product still needs to be processed and to land on our supermarket shelves. Is lack of choice an issue? There is only a handful of meat processors, there is a limited number of abattoirs, and we know that there is a limited number of supermarkets. I believe that 85 per cent of all the food that is consumed in the United States comes through about five major supermarkets. Do we face the same issue here? There have been issues with abattoirs and the pig industry, we have a very limited number of meat processors in Scotland, we have a very limited number of milk processors and we have seen the demise of local creameries. Do we need to look at addressing that in the future?

Yes, go ahead.