Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill RAINE Committee evidence - Which? response

Which? welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to inform the Committee’s scrutiny of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill and broadly supports the intent of the Bill to require Scottish Ministers and relevant public authorities to develop good food nation plans.

However we think that the Bill needs to be more ambitious in responding to the many challenges currently facing the food system – from climate change to obesity and the impact of rising food prices - and set out more explicitly the main purpose of these plans, along with specific goals, in order to ensure that there is a joined up approach and agreement at a national level on how different parts of government should be contributing to the transition to a healthier and more sustainable food system. It should also make provision for the necessary legislation to support this. 

There would also be great value in establishing an independent commission to oversee the delivery of the national and local food plans and ensure progress towards achieving the high level goals and targets that we think need to be in this Bill.