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

Highlands & Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has put forward the Right to Food (Scotland) Bill, which seeks to enshrine the right in law, and have an independent statutory body to oversee food policy to ensure no-one goes hungry in Scotland. 

The passage of this Bill would mean that the Scottish government would have responsibility for ensuring that food is available, accessible and adequate for everyone. 

Ms Grant said that tens of thousands of people in Scotland remain in food poverty, an issue which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. 

She said that her Bill would place responsibility on the Scottish government to take action, having “dragged its feet on this for years.” 

Ms Grant added: “No-one should be going hungry in a wealthy nation like Scotland, particularly a country with such a strong reputation for excellent food production. 

“By enshrining the internationally recognised right to food in Scots law we can send a clear message that hunger has no place in modern Scotland.”

The Bill’s introduction comes after the Scottish Greens announced earlier this week that their co-operation agreement with the Scottish government included a commitment to enshrine the right to food in Scots law.

Highlands & Islands Green MSP Arianne Burgess said that the legal change would be included in a new human rights Bill to be brought before Parliament to tackle the “unnacceptable levels” of food poverty which are currently plagueing thousands across the country.