Local MSP Brian Whittle is continuing his drive to improve school meals in Scotland. Ahead of a debate in the Scottish Parliament on ‘physical activity, diet & healthy weight’ the MSP released figures showing that Scotland Excel, the national procurement service, spends just 16% of its school food budget on items sourced in Scotland.
A further 15% is spent on food with ingredients sourced from elsewhere but manufactured here.
Working on behalf of 28 of Scotland’s 32 local councils, Scotland Excel spends £42.5m on food items for schools. That means that it spends £6.7m on food from Scotland and £6.4m on food manufactured in Scotland.
South Scotland MSP Brian has been campaigning for improvements to the quality of food in schools and more support for local farmers to access the Scotland Excel contract since he was elected. Last year he discovered Scottish councils were spending close to £1million on chicken imported from Thailand, among a long list of products available from Scottish & UK producers, but imported from around the world for Scottish schools.
Now, Brian is challenging the Scottish Government to take decisive action and ensure the Scotland Excel contract is easy for Scottish farmers, particularly small farmers, to access.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Scottish farmers are asked to produce some of the highest quality food in the world, take care of our countryside, pay their workers a reasonable wage and maintain high standards of animal welfare.
Yet, despite all this, when it comes to public food procurement, it’s clear our farmers aren’t getting the support they deserve.
These latest figures from Scotland Excel show that a substantial amount of school food is still travelling too far before it reaches pupils plates.
Whether it’s supporting local farmers and the rural economy, improving the health and attainment of school pupils, or even reducing our carbon footprint, the arguments for using more local produce in Scotland’s school meals are obvious.
What’s needed now is action from the Scottish Government and I’ll continue to campaign for that action.”