Labour Msp Highlights The Need To Target Food Poverty

26th December 2023

As the cost of living crisis piles pressure on Scots, more and more people are struggling to put food on the table.

Because of this, Rhoda Grant has pledged to propose a Bill to enshrine the Human Right to Food in Scots Law early in the new year.

Foodbank use in Scotland recently hit a record high and Scottish Government research has found that almost one in five Scots has recently had to cut back on essentials such food in order to get by.

Despite this, The Scottish Government recently delayed the implementation of its flagship Good Food Nations Act by half a year, despite describing it as "the foundation upon which we will build our Good Food Nation" and claiming it supports “our nation's social and economic wellbeing, the environment, people’s health and physical and mental wellbeing, economic development, animal welfare, education and child poverty”.

It has also repeatedly failed to set out a timeline for enshrining a legal Right to Food in Scots law - something Scottish Labour MSP Rhoda Grant is pursuing in a Members Bill.

Commenting, Scottish Labour MSP Rhoda Grant said “It is scandalous that so many people across the Highlands and Islands are going hungry, cutting back or relying on foodbanks this Christmas.

“We need action at every level to tackle this shameful food poverty crisis and enshrine in law a legal Right to Food.”

The Scottish Government have lodged legislation to delay rolling out the National Good Food Nation Plan for six months. The Act, which was passed in 2022, requires the Scottish Government, Local Authorities, and health boards to create food plans, which is overseen by a new independent food commission.

No public statement was made on the delay, with MSPs finding out through an amendment to the bill put forward at a Holyrood Committee.

Rhoda Grant MSP stated, "This delay will lead to more people suffering, more people at risk of malnutrition issues such as obesity, more people at risk to diseases such as rickets, and action to deal with food poverty delayed.

“At a time when the NHS is under real strain; the health, social and economic costs of poor diet is increasing meaning action is already urgent. Yet the Scottish Government are delaying the very actions that target food poverty. Sadly, this Government seems unable to deliver on any of its promises.

“I have asked the Government to explain why they have delayed. Local authorities and health boards need clarity in order to plan how to implement the detail contained in this National Good Food Nation Plan.

Rhoda Grant went on to say, "“Access to healthy, nutritious food is a human right but this needs to underpinned and reinforced by a commitment in law. That is why my proposed Right to Food Bill would enshrine the human right to food into Scots Law. It would create a legal requirement to ensure everyone has sufficient access to good quality food throughout the country.”