Proposed national Good Food Nation Plan consultation: statement

Background

1. This statement contains two parts:

• PART A: Summary of Consultation Process
• PART B: Summary of Responses to the Consultation and how regard was had to these responses.

2. This statement is published alongside the proposed Plan. The statement covers all types of consultation i.e. the public consultation and the extensive consultation that has been undertaken with stakeholders, policy officials within the Scottish Government and representative organisations throughout the development of the Plan. This comprehensive consultation ensured that as wide a range of voices were heard as possible. Throughout the process there has been a high level of interest and we have received responses covering, as would be expected with any discussion in relation to food, a wide range of topics and opinions.

3. This was an excellent outcome but did raise its own challenges in dealing with getting the balance right between the level of detail provided and ensuring that the Plan is in a format that can be used to meet the legislative requirements of the Act. This includes a legislative duty that Scottish Ministers (and by extension, civil servants) have regard to the Plan when carrying out specified functions (further detail given throughout the document). This is a major change in the process of developing food policy and it is therefore important that the Plan functions as a document that can facilitate this process.

4. The statement sets out how consultation throughout the development of the Plan has informed the approach taken.