We’re delighted to announce that the Scottish Government has introduced the Good Food Nation Bill. Over the past 5 years, there have been a number of twists and turns to this story, and there were moments where legislation was no certain thing. It’s a testament to your continued support that we’ve kept this Bill alive, and made sure that the Government didn’t lose sight of the injustice in our food system.
We’re not finished with the story just yet - and this is when the plot gets interesting. Now that the Bill has been introduced, we’re getting to work on making sure it’s strong enough to make a difference.
There is plenty to be done! The Bill is only a draft – over the next few months it will go through three stages of parliamentary scrutiny. The first stage will be led by the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee, so we’ll be focussing our attention for the next couple of months on the Committee members and civil servants on the Bill team. As we go through the process, there will be key opportunities to strengthen the Bill, and we’ll be counting on you to help us demonstrate the need for change in our food system that people across Scotland support.
What is in the Bill at the moment?
It’s important that Scottish Ministers, Local Authorities and Health boards are writing plans for the food system to give structure to decisions being made on food policy and governance. Duties on Local Authorities and an obligation to create National Food Plans are two of our 5 Asks for the Bill. We believe this will help focus minds and join the dots on the connections in the food system, such as between food insecurity, public health and workers’ rights. However, there are a number of key things missing from the Bill.
What’s missing?
While we welcome the Bill’s introduction, there are a range of measures that are still needed to strengthen the Bill in line with Scotland’s recent legislation and future ambitions with regard to human rights and environmental protection.
1. Clarity of Purpose
There needs to be clear purpose to these plans, otherwise they could be entirely focussed on economic goals such as increasing exports. For example, the Social Security Act 2018 clearly states the principles of the legislation, so that its purpose is clear from the outset:
The Scottish social security principles are—
The Good Food Nation Bill should make it clear that its purpose is to realise the right to food, recognising that it is a public service to ensure people have access, in a dignified and culturally appropriate manner, to nutritious, sustainable and safe food at all times.
2. Accountability
As it stands, the Bill does not have strong tools to review the impact and effectiveness of legislation and policy enacted in this area, which means it will be difficult to hold Ministers, Local Authorities and Health Boards accountable for their commitments. It has been a challenge to keep food policy in the minds of Ministers thus far, and there is a danger that it will once again fall down the political and legislative agenda. The Good Food Nation Bill must establish an independent statutory body to dedicate focussed attention to this work, review food plans and ensure sustained coherence across Government.
This is not a new idea - in the last few years Scotland has seen a number of different commissions including the Scottish Commission on Social Security, the Poverty and Inequality Commission, the Just Transition Commission, the Scottish Fiscal Commission and the Scottish Land Commission. We previously had a Scottish Food Commission, established in 2015 and dissolved by the previous Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy in 2018.
The Land Reform Act 2016 provides a useful example of how an independent body can help monitor progress. This Act established the Scottish Land Commission with accountability powers:
Functions of the Land Commissioners are, on any matter relating to land in Scotland--
3. Targets
Currently there are no policy targets included in the Bill, and we know that specific targets can help stimulate immediate action and help in measuring progress.
We look to the Climate Change Act 2019 to provide a useful example of how targets were included to embed scrutiny within the legislation and encourage an emphasis on progress:
The Scottish Ministers must ensure that the net Scottish emissions account for the year--
These targets were set with criteria such as the sustainable development goals, public health, jobs, environment and biodiversity. The Good Food Nation Bill would benefit from having ambitious targets on the face of the Bill to drive action and align with the sustainable development goals.
4. Transparency
The Bill’s requirement for Ministers to publish reports and lay them before Parliament requires strengthening both in terms of scrutiny and transparency. Under current proposals, Parliament would not be involved in drafting the plans, Ministers would not be required to have regard to Parliamentarian’s views, and Parliament would not have oversight of the Local Authority and Health board plans.
The Climate Change Act 2019 again provides a helpful example by enabling a greater level of Parliamentary scrutiny and transparency:
Scottish Ministers must, before laying a climate change plan under section 35 before the Scottish Parliament--
5. Participation
The Bill currently does not enable meaningful participation. Any consultation of the plans would be at the discretion of the Ministers, Local Authorities and Health boards. The Good Food Nation Bill should promote participatory governance by providing opportunities for everyone get involved in decisions around food and influence the rules that affect our shared food system.
The Climate Change Act provides another good example of how people can be involved, as it established a citizens’ assembly which produced a detailed report:
The citizens assembly is a panel made up of such persons as the Scottish Ministers consider to be representative of the general populace of Scotland…
The functions conferred on the citizens assembly are to--
Looking ahead – hopeful and determined
As we’ve seen, there is plenty of inspiration for the Good Food Nation Bill from other examples of recent Scottish legislation, as well as ongoing developments in the EU, to draw from. With no shortage of examples of good practice, there’s no reason Scotland can’t have the food systems Bill we deserve and need.
For more information, or if you would like to join the campaign for a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food system in Scotland’s food system please email [email protected]
We’re not finished with the story just yet - and this is when the plot gets interesting. Now that the Bill has been introduced, we’re getting to work on making sure it’s strong enough to make a difference.
There is plenty to be done! The Bill is only a draft – over the next few months it will go through three stages of parliamentary scrutiny. The first stage will be led by the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee, so we’ll be focussing our attention for the next couple of months on the Committee members and civil servants on the Bill team. As we go through the process, there will be key opportunities to strengthen the Bill, and we’ll be counting on you to help us demonstrate the need for change in our food system that people across Scotland support.
What is in the Bill at the moment?
It’s important that Scottish Ministers, Local Authorities and Health boards are writing plans for the food system to give structure to decisions being made on food policy and governance. Duties on Local Authorities and an obligation to create National Food Plans are two of our 5 Asks for the Bill. We believe this will help focus minds and join the dots on the connections in the food system, such as between food insecurity, public health and workers’ rights. However, there are a number of key things missing from the Bill.
What’s missing?
While we welcome the Bill’s introduction, there are a range of measures that are still needed to strengthen the Bill in line with Scotland’s recent legislation and future ambitions with regard to human rights and environmental protection.
1. Clarity of Purpose
There needs to be clear purpose to these plans, otherwise they could be entirely focussed on economic goals such as increasing exports. For example, the Social Security Act 2018 clearly states the principles of the legislation, so that its purpose is clear from the outset:
The Scottish social security principles are—
- (a) social security is an investment in the people of Scotland,
- (b) social security is itself a human right and essential to the realisation of other human rights,
- (ba) the delivery of social security is a public service,
- (c) respect for the dignity of individuals is to be at the heart of the Scottish social security system…
The Good Food Nation Bill should make it clear that its purpose is to realise the right to food, recognising that it is a public service to ensure people have access, in a dignified and culturally appropriate manner, to nutritious, sustainable and safe food at all times.
2. Accountability
As it stands, the Bill does not have strong tools to review the impact and effectiveness of legislation and policy enacted in this area, which means it will be difficult to hold Ministers, Local Authorities and Health Boards accountable for their commitments. It has been a challenge to keep food policy in the minds of Ministers thus far, and there is a danger that it will once again fall down the political and legislative agenda. The Good Food Nation Bill must establish an independent statutory body to dedicate focussed attention to this work, review food plans and ensure sustained coherence across Government.
This is not a new idea - in the last few years Scotland has seen a number of different commissions including the Scottish Commission on Social Security, the Poverty and Inequality Commission, the Just Transition Commission, the Scottish Fiscal Commission and the Scottish Land Commission. We previously had a Scottish Food Commission, established in 2015 and dissolved by the previous Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy in 2018.
The Land Reform Act 2016 provides a useful example of how an independent body can help monitor progress. This Act established the Scottish Land Commission with accountability powers:
Functions of the Land Commissioners are, on any matter relating to land in Scotland--
- (a) to review the impact and effectiveness of any law or policy,
- (b) to recommend changes to any law or policy,
- (c) to gather evidence,
- (d) to carry out research,
- (e) to prepare reports,
- (f) to provide information and guidance…
3. Targets
Currently there are no policy targets included in the Bill, and we know that specific targets can help stimulate immediate action and help in measuring progress.
We look to the Climate Change Act 2019 to provide a useful example of how targets were included to embed scrutiny within the legislation and encourage an emphasis on progress:
The Scottish Ministers must ensure that the net Scottish emissions account for the year--
- (a)2020 is at least 56% lower than the baseline,
- (b)2030 is at least 75% lower than the baseline, and
- (c)2040 is at least 90% lower than the baseline.
These targets were set with criteria such as the sustainable development goals, public health, jobs, environment and biodiversity. The Good Food Nation Bill would benefit from having ambitious targets on the face of the Bill to drive action and align with the sustainable development goals.
4. Transparency
The Bill’s requirement for Ministers to publish reports and lay them before Parliament requires strengthening both in terms of scrutiny and transparency. Under current proposals, Parliament would not be involved in drafting the plans, Ministers would not be required to have regard to Parliamentarian’s views, and Parliament would not have oversight of the Local Authority and Health board plans.
The Climate Change Act 2019 again provides a helpful example by enabling a greater level of Parliamentary scrutiny and transparency:
Scottish Ministers must, before laying a climate change plan under section 35 before the Scottish Parliament--
- (a) lay a draft of the plan before the Parliament for a period of 120 days, of which no fewer than 60 must be days on which the Parliament is not dissolved or in recess, and
- (b) have regard to--
- (i) any representations on the draft plan made to them,
- (ii) any views on the draft plan set out by the relevant body …
5. Participation
The Bill currently does not enable meaningful participation. Any consultation of the plans would be at the discretion of the Ministers, Local Authorities and Health boards. The Good Food Nation Bill should promote participatory governance by providing opportunities for everyone get involved in decisions around food and influence the rules that affect our shared food system.
The Climate Change Act provides another good example of how people can be involved, as it established a citizens’ assembly which produced a detailed report:
The citizens assembly is a panel made up of such persons as the Scottish Ministers consider to be representative of the general populace of Scotland…
The functions conferred on the citizens assembly are to--
- (a)consider how to prevent or minimise, or remedy or mitigate the effects of, climate change,
- (b)make recommendations on measures proposed to achieve the emissions reduction targets…
Looking ahead – hopeful and determined
As we’ve seen, there is plenty of inspiration for the Good Food Nation Bill from other examples of recent Scottish legislation, as well as ongoing developments in the EU, to draw from. With no shortage of examples of good practice, there’s no reason Scotland can’t have the food systems Bill we deserve and need.
For more information, or if you would like to join the campaign for a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food system in Scotland’s food system please email [email protected]