Meeting of the Parliament
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MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENT Wednesday 15 September 1999 (Afternoon) Volume 2 No 5 £5.00 Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body 2000. Applications for reproduction should be made in writing to the Copyright Unit, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ Fax 01603 723000, which is administering the copyright on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. Produced and published in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by The Stationery Office Ltd. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office is independent of and separate from the company now trading as The Stationery Office Ltd, which is responsible for printing and publishing Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body publications. CONTENTS Wednesday 15 September 1999 Debates Col. FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY ...................................................................................................... 407 Motion moved—[Susan Deacon]—and agreed to. Amendment moved—[Kay Ullrich]—and disagreed to. The Minister for Health and Community Care (Susan Deacon) .......................................... 407 Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP) .................................................................................. 414 Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)...................................................................... 418 Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD) ........................................... 421 Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab)........................................................................ 422 Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP) ..................................................................... 423 Kate MacLean (Dundee West) (Lab) ................................................................................... 424 Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con) .......................................................................... 427 Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab) ...................................................................................... 428 Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) .......................................................... 430 Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD) .............................................................................................. 432 Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab) ..................................................................................... 433 Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green) ......................................................................................... 435 Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP) ................................................................. 435 Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab) ............................................................................ 436 Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con) ................................................................ 438 Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab) ............................................................................... 439 Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP) ..................................................................... 441 Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab) ....................................................................................... 442 Ms Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab) ................................................................. 444 Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD) ........................................................................ 445 Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con) ...................................................................... 446 Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP) ........................................................................... 448 The Deputy Minister for Community Care (Iain Gray) ......................................................... 450 AUDITOR GENERAL ................................................................................................................... 455 Motion moved—[Mr Andrew Welsh]—and agreed to. Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP) ........................................................................................ 455 LEAD COMMITTEES ................................................................................................................... 455 Motions moved—[Mr McCabe]—and agreed to. DECISION TIME ......................................................................................................................... 456 WIGTOWN ................................................................................................................................. 459 Motion debated—[Alasdair Morgan]. Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP) ................................................... 459 David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con) ............................................................................ 462 Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP).................................................................... 463 Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con) .......................................................................... 464 The Deputy Minister for Highlands and Islands and Gaelic (Mr Alasdair Morrison) ........... 465 407 15 SEPTEMBER 1999 408 open, informed and reasoned debate. It is in that spirit that today I outline to members the next Scottish Parliament steps in our plans. Wednesday 15 September 1999 I should say at the outset that I am opposed to the amendment lodged by Kay Ullrich which, I (Afternoon) believe, seeks to narrow the debate unduly. With the greatest of respect, the terms in which it is [THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at offered are confused. However, in my remarks I 14:30] will cover the issues that Mrs Ullrich has raised. First, I want to address the question of food The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel): poisoning. Food poisoning occurs for a number of Before we begin, I should like to inform members reasons and takes many different forms. For many that the first act of the Scottish Parliament has it means little more than an upset stomach or reached the statute book. Letters patent signifying other short-term but unpleasant ailments. Her Majesty’s assent to the Mental Health (Public However, it must be remembered that food Safety and Appeals) (Scotland) Bill were recorded poisoning can and does kill. in the Register of the Great Seal on 13 September 1999. The printed act will be available shortly, Last year, more than 30 Scots died from together with explanatory notes. infections linked to food poisoning. Hundreds more required hospitalisation, and many of them will Food Standards Agency have sustained long-term physical damage. The risks, particularly to the most vulnerable—the The Presiding Officer: The first item of young, the elderly, the sick and expectant business today is a debate on motion S1M-147, in mothers—are very real. Government, the industry, the name of Susan Deacon, on the food standards regulatory bodies and communities must work agency, and on an amendment to that motion. together to reduce them. That is why we as the Scottish Executive are taking action at a number of levels. 14:31 On regulation, I am pleased to say that we have The Minister for Health and Community Care started to put in place the key outstanding (Susan Deacon): As members may recall, in June recommendation of the Pennington report, which I lodged a motion seeking agreement to the was drawn up after the devastating E coli 0157 establishment of a UK food standards agency with outbreak in central Scotland. Draft regulations for a strong Scottish arm. The motion was, I am a Scottish butchers licensing scheme were issued pleased to say, approved by this Parliament. for consultation on 23 July. There has been a The passage of the UK Food Standards Bill is good response from the industry and other now nearing completion, and arrangements for the interested parties. The consultation process ends establishment of the agency are well under way. I two days from now. After that, I intend to move will say more about those arrangements later. quickly to allow final legislation to go to Europe for required consideration, so that we can have the Today I am asking members to give their scheme in place by next summer. backing to the priority that this Executive affords to food safety and to endorse the actions that we are The scheme aims to improve hygiene standards taking to ensure that high standards of food safety in butchers’ shops, by ensuring that all butchers are achieved across Scotland. selling raw meat and ready-to-eat food—from small single-person businesses to butcher In the previous debate, I spoke about the counters in supermarkets—have in place effective resonance that the issue has in Scotland, of my measures to minimise the risk of cross- personal commitment to getting it right and of my contamination. As part of the consultation exercise determination to ensure that public health is our on butchers’ licensing, I have asked for comments paramount consideration in all aspects of food on whether other high-risk premises, such as policy. That is what the public expect—they have a caterers, should be licensed. Those responses will right to do so. Today I want to go beyond those be considered carefully. statements of intent and to outline the action that we are taking to achieve our objectives. I am determined to take all necessary steps to reduce the risk of future outbreaks, including Food safety is complex and sensitive terrain. I legislative action if that is appropriate and