Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, today hosted a members debate in the Scottish Parliament on welcoming Fife Diet’s new food manifesto for 2012. The well attended debate discussed many of the points laid out in the manifesto and in general about Scotland’s relationship with food.

Fife Diet, who watched the debate from the public gallery, produced the manifesto as part of their contribution to the food and drink policy framework with aims to ‘look afresh at the values that underpin how we organise our food economy’.

Points raised by the manifesto include the Soup Test where every child will leave school knowing how to make a pot of soup. Current statistics show that up to 57% of 18-25 year olds are leaving home without the knowledge of how to cook simple recipes such as Spaghetti Bolognese. The manifesto also suggests a plastic bag tax and farm apprenticeships amongst other points.

Speaking in Parliament after the debate Claire Baker said:

“It was great to discuss the food manifesto in the Scottish Parliament and offer MSPs from all parties the opportunity to discuss our relationship towards food in Scotland, particularly as we are in the midst of Scottish food and drink fortnight.

“With Citizen Advice Scotland reporting a doubling in demand for food parcels and with Save the Children reporting that 1 in 6 children are going to bed hungry a debate amongst policy makers on food economics in Scotland is vital.

“In the current climate money is tight but the food manifesto offers practical solutions that are not restrained by budget considerations but are rather about changing our attitudes and aiming to deliver health and environmental opportunities for the wider community.

“From helping to set up allotments and community gardens to running education programmes and setting off around the country in the Seed Truck, Fife Diet have been a credit to the Kingdom.

“Fife Diet must be congratulated for the work they are undertaking to promote a healthy and sustainable food relationship in Fife. I hope that today’s debate both spreads the news of the good work Fife Diet is undertaking and is only the beginning of a nationwide debate about our relationship with food.