Press Release for Immediate Release
Nourish Scotland welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to begin consultation on a Good Food Nation Bill in 2017. [1] Executive Director Pete Ritchie said ‘This legislation has the potential to be world-leading, we’re pleased the Scottish Government sees the need for a statutory framework to join up food policy. We hope the Government will engage in a national conversation before beginning its consultation process to ensure the Bill is framed by the needs of people early on.’
‘Nourish believes the Good Food Nation Bill will be an excellent opportunity to protect and progress a rights-based approach to food. A statutory duty on Ministers to create a Food Rights and Responsibilities Statement would ensure cross-cabinet cohesion in working towards a food system where we all have access to good food that meets our dietary needs with dignity and choice, and that treats the environment and producers fairly – including through access to land.’
Pete concluded, ‘There are a lot of opportunities to improve our food environment in this Programme for Government even beyond the Good Food Nation Bill. The Social Security Bill has the potential to link social security to the Minimum Income Standard, the Child Poverty Bill could commit to the measuring and reduction of food poverty in children, and the roll out of baby boxes has the potential of ensuring all new-borns have the best nutritional start in life in their crucial first 1000 days – helping to minimise health inequalities later in life.’
‘All this is really in keeping with the recommendations of the Government’s Short Life Working Group on Food Poverty, [2] and the recommendations of a UN Committee that reviewed Scotland’s performance of right to food obligations earlier this year. [3]’
Notes to editors:
[1] Scottish Government Programme for Government 2016-17:Available online: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00505210.pdf
[2] The Scottish Government’s Short Life Working Group on Food Poverty established by former Cabinet-Secretary Alex Neil published their recommendations in June 2016, including recommending that the dignity should be central to tackling food poverty.
Available online: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/06/8020/0
[3] The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights reviewed Scotland’s performance of right to food obligations in June 2016 and recommended framework legislation to protect and progress the right to food.
Available online: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=E%2fC.12%2fGBR%2fCO%2f6&Lang=en
For further comment please contact:
Elli Kontorravdis, Policy & Campaigns Manager:
T: 01312 261497
E: elli@nourishscotland.org.uk