Right to food off the Government agenda

The Scottish Food Coalition, an alliance of over 50 civil society organisations in Scotland, are calling the Scottish Government out on their broken promises on human rights. The Human Rights Bill has been dropped from today’s 2024/25 Programme for Government. 

The Human Rights Bill was the Scottish Government’s flagship legislative initiative. It was set to incorporate into law economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to food. In Scotland around 1 in 6 people experience food insecurity. The Human Rights Bill was set to place statutory responsibilities on the Scottish Government to ensure everyone in Scotland can access food with dignity and choice, ending the foodbank culture and shifting the focus onto rights and government obligations. It was part of 2023/24 Programme for Government has already undergone extensive public consultation.

Mary Brennan, Chair of Food Marketing and Society at University of Edinburgh Business School and the Chair of the Scottish Food Coalition, said:

“The government is repeatedly on record committing to the incorporation of the right to food via a new Human Rights Bill. This was the reason given to the Scottish Food Coalition as to why the right to food could not incorporated into the Good Food Nation Act 2022. It is deeply disappointing that they are going back on the promises they made to the people of Scotland. Without this legislation to food and the right to a healthy environment, the Good Food Nation Act will be unable to deliver on its ambitions”

There had been numerous attempts to incorporate right to food into Scots law, including through Rhoda Grant MSP’s Right to Food Bill and as part of the Good Food Nation Act. Indeed in 2022 Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands in the debate on the Good Food Nation Bill said: “In relation to the Right to Food…this government is committed to the right to food and enshrining it into law, there’s no question of that. (…) and that’s why we will bring forward a Human Rights Bill during this session of Parliament”

Anna Chworow Deputy Director at Nourish Scotland said:

“If the Government is committed to delivering on human rights, they must enshrine that commitment into law. Not doing so breaches trust with the people of Scotland and denies access to justice to those whose rights are compromised or even denied “

Sabine Goodwin, Director of the Independent Food Aid Network said:

“It’s disappointing to find mention of a Human Rights Bill missing from today’s Scottish Government Programme for Government. This had been an invaluable opportunity to take further critical steps to ensure no one needs charitable food aid and everyone in Scotland can afford adequate and nutritious food.”

Penny Morriss, Head of Scotland and Northern Ireland at Trussel Trust said:

“We had many reassurances from the Scottish Government that the right to food, left out of the Good Food Nation bill, would be enacted through the Human Rights Bill. It’s really disappointing this is missing from the Programme for Government. Scotland had the opportunity to lead the way in delivering a right to food and we will continue to work with partners in the Scottish Food Coalition to achieve this goal”.