The Bill requires the Scottish Ministers and certain public bodies (referred to in the Bill as ‘relevant authorities’) to create Good Food Nation Plans.
This is a Government bill
The Bill became an Act on 26 July 2022
This Bill was passed and is now an Act of the Scottish Parliament.
The Bill requires the Scottish Ministers and certain public bodies (referred to in the Bill as ‘relevant authorities’) to create Good Food Nation Plans.
The relevant authorities identified in the Bill are health boards and local authorities (or councils). Other public bodies may be required to produce plans in the future.
The Scottish Ministers and relevant authorities need to have regard to these plans when carrying out certain functions. These functions will be set out by the Scottish Ministers in secondary legislation that will be considered by the Parliament.
The Bill was created to support the ambition of the Scottish Government that Scotland becomes a ‘Good Food Nation’.
The Scottish Government has a vision that by 2025 Scotland will be “a Good Food Nation, where people from every walk of life take pride and pleasure in, and benefit from, the food they produce, buy, cook, serve, and eat each day.”
[Bill link here]
Explanatory Notes
Policy Memorandum
Delegated Powers Memorandum
All Bills introduced in the Parliament must be accompanied by specific documents. For most Bills, this includes:
Explanatory Notes: this document provides an overview of what the Bill does, plus a more detailed explanation of individual sections.
Policy Memorandum: this sets out the objectives of the Bill. It also lists any alternatives considered, details of consultations, and an assessment of the effects of the Bill in a range of areas.
Financial Memorandum: this sets out estimates of costs, savings, and any changes to revenues expected to result from the Bill.
Delegated Powers Memorandum: this is needed if a Bill gives powers to make subordinate legislation or allows Scottish Ministers to issue directions, guidance or codes of practice.
Statements on legislative competence: two short statements, one by the Presiding Officer and one by the person introducing the Bill. “Legislative competence” means the powers the Parliament has to make law.
This Bill requires Crown consent. It is expected that this consent will be signified at Stage 3.
The Presiding Officer has decided under Rule 9.12 of Standing Orders that a financial resolution is [not/required] for this Bill.
For each Bill, the Presiding Officer must decide if a 'Financial Resolution' is required. The main reasons a Bill would need a Financial Resolution are that:
If a Bill requires a Financial Resolution:
The Scottish Parliament's Information Centre (SPICe) prepares impartial research and analysis to assist MSPs in their examination of Bills and other parliamentary business.
The Bill was introduced on 7 October 2021
At Stage 1, the Bill is given to a lead committee. This is usually the committee whose remit most closely relates to the subject of the Bill. The lead committee will consider and report on the Bill. Other committees can also examine the Bill and report to the lead committee.
The lead committee for this Bill is the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee.
Other ways the committee heard views and experiences.
Watch video submission from Professor Michael Fakhri, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, to the Convener, 22 April 2022
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, to the Convener, 22 March 2022
Letter from the Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, to the Convener, 24 February 2022
Letter from the NHS Board Chief Executives' Group, to the Convener, 10 February 2022
Letter from the Convener of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, to the Convener, 8 February 2022
See a full list of Stage 1 correspondance
A Stage 1 debate took place on [xx/month/year] to consider and decide on the general principles of the Bill.
See further details of the motion
The Bill ended Stage 1 on 22 March 2022
At Stage 2, MSPs can propose changes to a Bill. These are called 'amendments'. Any MSP can suggest amendments but only members of the Stage 2 committee can decide on them.
Documents with the amendments considered at the meeting held on [date]
Marshalled List of Amendments for [Stage Number]
Groupings of Amendments for [Stage Number ]
Letter from the Convener, to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, 9 June 2022
Letter from Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, to the Convener, 6 June 2022
[Revised Financial Memorandum] (169KB, pdf) posted 13 June 2022
The Bill ended Stage 2 on 11 May 2022
At Stage 3, MSPs can propose further amendments (changes) to the Bill. These are debated and decided on in the Debating Chamber. At this stage, all MSPs can vote on them. There is then a debate on whether to pass the Bill. If the Bill is not passed, it ‘falls’ and can't become law.
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, to the Convener, 23 March 2023
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, to the Convener, 13 June 2022
Once MSPs have decided on the amendments, they debate whether to pass the Bill.
Result 113 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote Agreed
See further details of the motion
The Bill ended Stage 3 on 15 June 2022
If the Bill is passed, it is normally sent for Royal Assent after about 4 weeks. Royal Assent is when the Bill gets formal agreement by the King and becomes an Act of the Scottish Parliament. Some Acts become law straight after Royal Assent. Some only become law on a later date. Sometimes different bits of the same Act become law on different dates.
[LINK TO ACT ON LEG.GOV]