The UN Special Rappoteur on the Right to Food, Hilal Elver, visited Scotland for the first time last week, and Ben Macpherson MSP was delighted to welcome her to The Scottish Parliament for a discussion on the Right to Food.
The SNP Government aspires to make Scotland a country where people have a right to take pride in the food they eat and serve. The Good Food Nation Bill is central to this and so, as part of this process, MSPs and individuals, from around Scotland with an interest in the Right to Food, gathered on Tuesday 14 March to discuss the opportunities that lay ahead for Scotland,.
The UN Special Rappoteur on the Right to Food, Hilal Elver, gave a short talk followed by a Q&A – hosted by MSP Ben Macpherson, who said: “There was a real energy in the room, as everyone was very interested to find out more about a rights based approach to food and how it would work.”
He added: “It was an honour to welcome Hilal Elver to The Scottish Parliament and to hear her views on the opportunities that lie ahead for Scotland as a Good Food Nation.
“The Scottish Government’s commitment to creating a fair, healthy, affordable and sustainable food system is very encouraging and the Good Food Nation Bill is a key step towards that. Together we can work to ensure that Scotland is a country where all people, from every walk of life, have financial and geographical access to adequate, nutritious, appropriate food, with dignity and choice.
“Obviously, there is a lot to be looked into and there are challenges around creating a right to food, particularly in regard to UK welfare cuts. Nevertheless, there is a real opportunity for Scotland to be a leading European nation on this, because no-one should have to rely on emergency food provision, such as foodbanks, in a country as prosperous as ours.”
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