Chamber and committees

I have set my timer, convener, as I am conscious of the time.

I am aware that England has already introduced the measures and that Wales is about to. How do the regulations align with England, Wales and the EU? Are those regulations similar to what is being proposed in Scotland?

Basically, product placement is part of it. How will we measure whether the regulations are working?

I will leave it there.

You mentioned commercial aspects, which I was going to ask about. The policy has already been implemented in England and it will soon be implemented in Wales. Are there differences between what is proposed for Scotland and the policy in England? In relation to commercial aspects, there are issues relating to the influence of the big food giants in determining which products we see and which are promoted. They even have an influence on policy makers. The whole food system needs to be tackled, and what we are talking about is only part of that.

Good morning. I am interested in the regulations on high fat, sugar and salt foods and how they may link in the future to ultra-processed foods and how we deal with the advertising, marketing and display of those. Is the Government’s rationale for introducing measures in regulations, rather than in primary legislation as previously proposed, that we will be able to expedite the changes in a more timely manner?

Professor Johnstone, you mentioned stigma and shame. I have worked on issues relating to stigma and overweight people feeling shamed and as though they are being blamed for being overweight. Can you speak a wee bit more about that?

Good morning to youse all. I get to go first and am interested in your thoughts about the fact that the restrictions on the promotion and placement of certain foods are not being presented in primary legislation. We are doing this by further regulation and in guidelines. What are your thoughts about that?

Will the member give way?

On the back of the convener’s own declaration, I should declare that I am still a registered nurse.

My understanding is that nurses do go into a patient’s home on their own to refill or recharge a syringe driver containing, for instance, morphine, fentanyl and anti-emetic drugs. I am concerned about nurses going in on their own in this instance, although I do take on board what you have said about their being able to choose to have somebody with them at the beginning. I am just seeking clarity on the point that nurses are already able to act independently in a patient’s home and to manage such devices.

Although the big ports in the north-east and the northern isles might have the biggest landings and the biggest economic impact, I will highlight the contribution and the success of our fishing fleet in the South Scotland region, from Eyemouth to Portpatrick. Those ports might be small compared with those at Lerwick and Peterheid, but we pack a punch.

More than 150 jobs in Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders are directly employed on Scotland-registered vessels. At the last count, nearly 7,000 tonnes of seafood was landed at those ports each year. The catch that lands every day at ports across the south is world leading, high quality and sustainable.

Kirkcudbright is one of the biggest harbours for scallop catch landings on these isles. If people are out for their tea in a seafood restaurant and order the scallops, there is a fair chance that those scallops will have been caught in inshore waters off the south-west and landed in Kirkcudbright. West Coast Sea Products in Kirkcudbright has expanded from scallop fishing and supply and now sells its catch directly to locals and local businesses in the town and to the Swally n’ Scran in Kirkcudbright, which was recently named restaurant of the year at the Dumfries and Galloway Life awards.

The industry is not just about the boats and crew bringing in their catch. It is about the retailers and resellers dealing with outlets far and wide. It is about the food outlets in the south, across Scotland and further afield getting that catch on to plates and dinner tables.

Our offshore shellfish fleet is a crucial part of that mix. It provides skilled, well-paid jobs spread across rural areas and our coastal communities rather than being focused in one or two major ports.

The economic benefit to Scotland of fishing is more than £300 million, but the spin-offs in terms of our image and reputation overseas for high-end food and drinks are incalculable, and the jobs that it brings to fragile rural economies are invaluable. We therefore need to ensure that we are training and supporting future generations to enter the fishing industry.

Colleagues have also mentioned the future workforce. Organisations such as the South of Scotland Sea Fish Training Association, which is run by my constituent Davie Gilchrist, are working hard to ensure not only that the current generation of fisher folk have the skills that are needed at sea, but that the next generation is shown sea survival techniques and how to crew the boats safely and efficiently and deal with emergencies.

That generation should also have fishing as a real option for their careers. I therefore make a plea to careers advisers, Skills Development Scotland and the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to agree that we need to make sure that crewing the fleet is on the table as an option for young people who are seeking employment, not just in our coastal communities but across the sector. Keeping the fleet in action in ports such as Kirkcudbright supports jobs in rural communities, boosts our local economies and supports repopulation.