To ask the Scottish Executive when it will deliver its National Food and Drink Policy.
As I announced on the 19th June, the aim of Scotland’s first national food and drink policy is to promote Scotland’s sustainable economic growth by ensuring that the Scottish Government’s focus in relation to food and drink, and in particular our work with Scotland’s food and drink industry, addresses quality, health and wellbeing, and environmental sustainability, recognising the need for access to affordable food for all.
I have set up a framework to ensure delivery of this aim. Acknowledging the momentum for change already built up through the National Discussion on Food, the framework going forward will encompass a high level of transparency and engagement.
I will be chairing a leadership forum, whose remit takes an overarching view of the work being taken forward by five thematic working groups encompassing existing Scottish Government initiatives, alongside a number of new projects being commissioned by the five specific thematic work streams.
The leadership forum exists to ensure a consistency of approach and overall adherence to the aim of the Food and Drink Policy. I will be inviting four key individuals to join the leadership forum, acting as “champions” for, respectively; sustainable economic growth; health; sustainability; and access to affordable food. In addition the forum will also include each of the chairs of the work streams, at least one other Scottish Government Minister and a representative of the drink sector.
The five key themes are (1) Sustainable Economic Growth; (2) Food and Drink Choices; (3) Enhancing Scotland’s Reputation for Food and Drink; (4) Walking the Talk; and, (5) Affordability, Access and Security. Each theme will be chaired independently, with support from Scottish government officials. The Chairs of each thematic group will be part of the leadership forum.
It is important that the food and drink policy aims and initiatives for Scotland are not piecemeal nor static but remain flexible and adaptive to the rapid changes in domestic and food supply and consumption challenges. I will therefore be asking the work streams for their initial findings and recommendations in early 2009.
My announcement on the 19 June also acknowledged the breadth of initiatives already underway across Government, it is important that we do not lose sight of these, nor the very enthusiastic resolve for real change.