Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has lodged her proposal for a draft bill which would see the Right to Food enshrined in Scots Law.  

Entitled The Right to Food (Scotland) Bill, it seeks to enshrine the right in law, and have an independent statutory body to oversee food policy to ensure no one goes hungry in Scotland. The passage of this bill would mean that the Scottish Government would have responsibility for ensuring that food is available, accessible, and adequate for everyone. 

Rhoda Grant said:

“Many of us take the availability of food for granted, but the truth is tens of thousands of people in Scotland are living in food poverty, even in 2021.

“The pandemic has only exacerbated this, making the need for action all the more urgent.

“My Bill will enshrine a Right to Food in law, placing responsibility on the Scottish Government to make this a reality.

“The Government has dragged its feet on this for years, failing to this day to set out any concrete plans or timescales.

“No-one should be going hungry in a wealthy nation like Scotland, particularly a country which such a strong reputation for excellent food production. By enshrining the internationally recognised right to food in Scots Law we can send a clear message that hunger has no place in modern Scotland.

“There is no time to waste while the SNP dither and delay – we need to act now.”