MSP launches bid for legal right to food

A Labour MSP has lodged a proposal for a draft bill which would see the right to food enshrined in Scots law.

Rhoda Grant’s The Right to Food (Scotland) Bill would establish an independent statutory body to oversee food policy to ensure that no-one goes hungry in Scotland.

If the bill became law, the Scottish Government would have responsibility for ensuring that food is available, accessible, and adequate for everyone.

Ms 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.”