Rhoda Grant MSP (Labour) for the Highlands and Islands intends to introduce a Bill into the Scottish Parliament which would enshrine the Right to Food into Scots Law.

Rhoda Grant said:

“Access to food is a human right, but it is being denied to too many people in our country.  The pandemic has only exacerbated this and increased the need for action to be taken to address the problems in our food sector.  That anyone is living in food poverty in 2021, in one if the richest nations in the world, is shocking.

“I intend to bring forward a Bill this session to enshrine the right to food into Scots Law.  This is the work started by my colleague, Elaine Smith, in the last session, and it is vital we finish it

“Enshrining the right to food into Scots Law would place responsibility for realising and progressing this right upon the Scottish Government, including the ability to hold them to account.

“The Right to Food is also tied up with a stronger food policy overall – from farm to fork – to address the government’s lack of ambition and enable future legislation which would look at concerns across the food sector, including workers’ rights, sustainability, local produce and food insecurity.  It is not just access to food we need, but access to affordable, healthy, quality food.”

The Trussell Trust runs many of the Foodbanks in Scotland. Here are their stats for Scotland – since 2014.