Author: Peacock Carter

The Cleaner Air for Scotland Governance Group (CAFS) has been strengthened with specialists in health, environmental science and regulation.

The group who oversee clean air in Scotland, has been joined by two new representatives; the British Heart Foundation Scotland with interests in health, environmental science and regulation and Professor Campbell Gemmell, an expert in environmental science, policy and regulation.

The CAFS Governance Group support progress of achieving the aims of national cross-government strategy- Cleaner Air for Scotland – The Road to a Healthier Future (CAFS). The strategy sets out how the Scottish Government and its partner organisations propose to further reduce air pollution to protect human health and fulfil Scotland’s legal responsibilities as soon as possible. The strategy aims to achieve the ambitious vision for Scotland "to have the best air quality in Europe".

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said:

“I am delighted to welcome the British Heart Foundation Scotland and Professor Campbell Gemmell to the Cleaner Air for Scotland Governance Group. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring the group has access to a broad range of perspectives, including a focus on the health impacts of air pollution. Both the BHF and Professor Gemmell will provide valuable advice and support as we work together to fight air pollution and the damaging impact it has on our health, and to have the best air quality in Europe.”

James Cant, Director of British Heart Foundation Scotland, said:

“British Heart Foundation Scotland supports the development of LEZs and therefore welcomed the publication of draft plans regarding an LEZ in Glasgow. BHF Scotland is committed to working with Scottish Government and Local Authorities to tackle poor air quality. Now it is time for all stakeholders to come together to implement workable and effective solutions.’’

Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland’s (REHIS) funding of £50,000 is being matched by Food Standards Scotland to expand the delivery of the Elementary Food Hygiene Course. This will provide up to 10,000 secondary school pupils with the resources to complete the training in 2018.

The REHIS Schools Food Hygiene Initiative is an innovative national initiative, which leads to the award of the REHIS Elementary Food Hygiene Certificate. It has been in place for over twenty years and has proved to be exceptionally popular with Scottish secondary school teachers and students, and with the food industry.

Successful students gain an industry recognised qualification which can fast track them into employment within the food industry and/or seasonal employment while undertaking higher or further education. Some students have found that taking this qualification while at school has supported other areas of their studies, including Home Economics. It also helps Scotland meet the SQA Curriculum for Excellence, Health and Wellbeing (Food and Health) experiences and outcomes.

The generous co-funding of the Institute’s initiative by Food Standards Scotland in recent years has led to an increase in the number of participating schools and successful students.

Gary Maclean, Scotland’s first National Chef and Senior Chef Lecturer at City of Glasgow College, said: “Awarding bodies such as REHIS play a fundamental role in equipping budding chefs and caterers with the skills and knowledge to start their culinary career.

“It begins with education, so investment in the food hygiene qualification will optimise fresh talent getting a ‘foot in the door’.”

Elspeth Macdonald, Food Standards Scotland’s Deputy Chief Executive, said: “The REHIS Food Hygiene Course is invaluable for anyone in – or aspiring to be in – catering and hospitality.

“We are delighted to continue supporting Scotland’s school pupils in obtaining this qualification which will serve them well in future, whether they are providing safe food in the home or within the food and drink industry.”

Tom Bell, REHIS Chief Executive, said: “On behalf of REHIS, I would like to thank Food Standards Scotland for generously match funding our schools food hygiene initiative, which will be fundamental in supporting its delivery in schools across the nation.

“Young people benefit widely from the initiative which provides them with an industry recognised qualification for future employment. Some students have found it useful when looking for part-time work during the school holidays or for supporting certain areas of the SQA Curriculum, such as Home Economics.”

Please contact Jackie McCabe, Director of Training at jm@ for further information.

Businesses in Scotland of all sizes and sectors are urged to enter the accredited environmental awards scheme VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards.

The VIBES Awards recognise businesses which have shown commitment, action and achievement in their aims to improve their environmental performance, enhance the competitiveness of their business and support wider goals of sustainable development.

The 2018 categories are:

• Innovation
• Management (250+ employees and <250 employees)
• Environmental Product or Service
• Hydro Nation Water Innovation
• Sustainable and Active Travel Award
• Circular Economy
• Green Team
• Best Micro Business

Entering for VIBES is free and simple. Businesses are offered support throughout the process to ensure things run smoothly. The application process for VIBES 2018 will close on 27 April 2018.

VIBES are holding nine free information events all across Scotland so you can learn all about good environmental practices, support available and their application process. Hear from other businesses who will give a personal insight into their experience and the innovative work that won them recognition.

Meet them at one of their free launch events:

• 22nd March 8-10:30 am – Fife At DoubleTree by Hilton – Queensferry Crossing (St Margarets Head, North Queensferry, KY11 1HP)
• 22nd March – 4-6pm – Glasgow At ScottishPower (320 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5AD)
• 26th March – 3-5pm – Glasgow School of Art – focus on textiles industry (The Reid Building, 167 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G3 6RQ)
• 9th April – 2-4pm – Fort William at Blas Restaurant (147 High St, Fort William, PH33 6EA)
• 10th April – 4 to 6pm – Inverness At Highlands and Islands Enterprise (An Lòchran, Inverness Campus, Inverness IV2 5NB)
• 11th April – 3-5pm – Aberdeen At EC-OG (Davidson House, Aberdeen Innovation Park, Balgownie Road, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen AB22 8GT)
• 16th April – 3 to 5pm – Duns (Scottish Borders) At Greenvale AP(Craigswalls, Duns TD11 3PZ)
• 18th April – 4-6pm – Perth At Glaze and Save (Unit 9 Mercian Buildings Shore Road, Perth PH2 8BD)

To book your place contact vibes@sepa.org.uk or register through Eventbrite.

A report assessing which of Scotland’s protected geological features are at risk from climate change was published by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The report, possibly for the first time, analyses important geological and geomorphological features on all legally protected Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Scotland.

The researchers found that 97% of sites are in a favourable condition currently, with 73% at relatively low risk when it comes to climate change. However, 17% could be at moderate risk and 10% could be at high risk from climate change impacts. These impacts include increased erosion, coastal flooding, changes in rainfall and storm frequency and intensity, changes in vegetation cover, and reduced freezing of the ground in winter.

The report develops a risk-based way of assessing future impacts of climate change on geological and geomorphological (landscape) features in Scotland. The assessment involves a combination of current understanding of how climate change will affect the features, as well as the knowledge of the characteristics of geological and geomorphological features in Scotland. This is a new approach and could be adapted to apply elsewhere, both in the UK and abroad, in the future.

The results of this report will feed into the Scottish Government’s second Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme. It is hope that this will help identify the consequences of climate change for all protected areas in Scotland and put in place mitigation or adaptation measures. The work was undertaken as part of a wider ClimateXChange project dealing with these issues, which are highlighted as actions in the Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme.

Overseas Scottish food and drink exports were worth approximately £6 billion in 2017 – almost £570 million more than 2016.

Food exports were valued at about £1.6 billion – a rise of 15% (£214 million) during the same period. Exports of food to Europe were worth £1.1 billion after an increase of 13%, or £125 million.

Fish and seafood accounted for the majority of food exports and were worth approximately £944 million, up 23% from last year. Scotch Whisky exports also increased by around £356 million compared to 2016.

Rural Economy Fergus Ewing said:

“Scottish food and drink exports are at an all-time high – with world-renowned Scottish goods like salmon and whisky being consumed across the globe at record levels. That’s due in part to sectors working together to sell our remarkable products, and creating or enhancing our national brands.

“The statistics highlight the importance of the EU single market to our food and drink success, with the EU buying more than 40% of our produce. The continuing uncertainty surrounding the UK Government’s Brexit plans, and the prospect of losing tariff free access to that market would be potentially devastating for our food and drink industry. 

“Confirmation by the UK Government that it wants devolved powers over food labelling to transfer to them creates further risk and uncertainty, when much of our success depends on our ability to market Scottish produce and provenance effectively. That’s potentially a huge problem in the long term to our food and drink sector, who share our ambition for further expansion, and to protect our national brands.

“The Scottish Government is doing all we can to support the growth of food and drink exports: working with key sectors to develop new and existing markets, boosting innovation and skills, and supporting Scotland’s local producers via business rates exemptions and grants for example.

“Our aim is to support the food and drink industry’s ambitions to double its value to £30 billion by 2030.” 

James Withers, Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink said:

"The world is increasingly developing a taste for Scottish produce and it is driving incredible growth for Scottish food and drink businesses and the economy as a whole. A few years ago, reaching £6 billion in annual export sales was just an ambition. However, industry leadership and a crucial partnership with government has made it a reality.

"It is particularly important to see our food exports increasing in Asia and North America, following in the footsteps of our number one export, Scotch Whisky, which is firmly back into its growth phase. However, Europe remains the top destination for many of our products, emphasising the need for a Brexit process which protects this vital trade.

"Sales of Scottish food have now risen more 130% in a decade, but we have greater potential still. Our industry has an ambition to double the value of its sales overseas and in our home market to £30 billion by 2030. Today marks an important step along that road.”

Table 1: Scotland Food and Drink Exports, 2017, 2016 and 2007 £m

Source – HMRC Regional Trade Statistics and Overseas Trade Statistics.

[1] Drink exports are defined as exports of Scotch whisky from the UK as per SFD target. 

The UK Supreme court has published its judgement in the case of Health Safety Executive(HSE) v Chevron North Sea Ltd which dismissed the HSE appeal.

The case relates to a Prohibition Notice served by HSE on an offshore installation where inspectors formed a view that corrosion had rendered parts of the helideck structure unsafe so that there was a risk of serious personal injury. The company appealed but also made arrangements to test the metalwork, the results of which were set out in an expert report almost a year later. The metalwork passed the relevant British Standard strength test.

At the Employment Tribunal, the decision for the appeal of the Prohibition Notice went in favour of the company despite HSE arguing that the tribunal should focus on the information that was available, or ought reasonably to have been available, to an inspector at the time of service of the notice.

HSE appealed on the basis of a different case in England (Hague (one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Health and Safety) v Rotary Yorkshire Ltd (2015) in which the Court of Appeal decided the case on the opposite interpretation (i.e. that the tribunal should decide the case on information before the inspector at the time they formed a view). 

In view of those contradictory positions and the possibility of confusion in Tribunal appeals north and south of the border, HSE was given leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. The judgment itself is available on the Supreme Court website.

 In light of this outcome the Supreme Court has said specifically that there is no criticism of the inspectors involved. In particular, the Court recognises that decisions often have to be taken as a matter of urgency and without the luxury of comprehensive information.

The Court goes further to say that ‘there is no reason for him (sic) to be deterred from serving the notice by the possibility that, should more information become available at a later stage, his concerns turn out to be groundless. Indeed, he might just as well feel less (original emphasis) inhibited about serving it, confident that if it turns out that there is in fact no material risk, the position can be corrected on appeal’.

The above judgement should not lead to a change in decisions made by inspectors from HSE and local authorities. Inspectors will continue to consult upon its own internal procedures and the National Code which requires local authorities regulatory practice to be consistent with the national guidance and procedures shared by HSE. 

The annual surveillance reports for laboratory-confirmed cases o Salmonella and Campylobacter in Scotland in 2017 have been published on the Health Protection Scotland website.

During 2017, 5796 laboratory reports of Campylobacter were received by HPS. This was an increase of 485 (9.1%) compared to 2016 when 5311 isolates were reported. This increase follows a decline in reports of Campylobacter in each of the previous two years. Despite the increase in reports in 2017, the number remains below the peak of 6636 reports in 2014. The annual summary of Campylobacter in Scotland, 2017 can be accessed here.

During 2017, the Scottish Salmonella, Shigella and Clostridium difficile Reference Laboratory (SSSCDRL) reported 838 cases of human non-typhoidal Salmonella to Health Protection Scotland, which is very similar to 2016 when there were 839 reports, this had followed had followed an increase in reports since 2014 when there had been 717 reports. The annual summary of Salmonella in Scotland, 2017 can be accessed here.

Two new cooking skills publications have just been added to Community Food and Health website.

Community Food and Health (Scotland) or CFHS's aim is to ensure that everyone in Scotland has the opportunity, ability and confidence to access a healthy and acceptable diet for themselves, their families and their communities. 

The new publications are on cooking skills and are detailed below:

Chopping and changing uses evidence from a self-evaluation study group to show the impact of cooking skills courses on people who are affected by health inequalities, and is suitable for anyone who runs, manages or commissions cooking skills courses.

What’s cooking in Scotland?, is a snapshot of community cooking skills activities in 2017, presenting the findings from a short survey undertaken by CFHS in summer 2017.

A Holyrood Committee has outlined a number of recommendations in order for Scotland to try to achieve the cleanest air in Europe.

The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee has published its Air Quality in Scotland Inquiry report, following an inquiry into the Scottish Government’s strategy to tackle harmful emissions and how well this fits into the overall plans to cut pollution in the UK and EU.

Commenting on the publishing of the report David Duffy, Senior Vice President of Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) said:

"“Scotland, for the most part, has good air quality, however it is recognised that there are hot spots where pollution is too high. Air Quality receives a great deal of media and political attention and REHIS, on behalf of its membership, welcomed the opportunity to contribute to a critical public health influencing area through participation in the Committee’s evidence gathering process. Our memberships activities, along with fellow air quality specialists and other professionals are key contributors to the Cleaner Air for Scotland’s objectives. Working together with other professional disciplines, recognising that there are different drivers but finding practical solutions which satisfy all parties needs, in my opinion, will provide those we act on behalf of with the most gains.”

Some of the key findings in the report include:

Suitability of the Cleaner Air for Scotland (CAFS) strategy

• The Committee is concerned about the direction of travel, rate of change and action on the ground and recommends that CAFS is kept under review to ensure that it remains fit for purpose given the continual changes that are being seen in this area.

Diesel cars

• Emissions from diesel cars is one of the major contributors to poor air quality and the Committee supports the decision to phase out petrol, diesel cars and vans by 2032. 
• But the Scottish Government must provide a clear timeline for how it intends to reach this commitment, including any regulations or incentives. 

Low emission zones (LEZs)

• The Committee supports LEZs but it has concerns on the tight timescale to get these up and running. 
• It also questions whether local authorities have the technical and financial resources to ensure they are fully operational by 2018 and beyond. 
• The Committee believes that private cars should be included in LEZs, in order to fully contribute to improvements in air quality. 

Transport and active travel

• The decrease in passenger numbers on buses over the 5 years is concerning. While access to buses, particularly in rural communities, touches on wider issues, the affordability, availability and accessibility of buses is a significant contributor to helping people leave their cars at home. 
•  To meet air quality and wider climate change targets, increasing the number of journeys by bike to 10% and beyond is necessary. The Scottish Government should complete a full review of why the percentage of journeys only rose by 0.2% between 2010 and 2016.

Freight transport

• The Committee recognises the potential benefits to air quality in removing freight from the roads, particular during peak times in urban areas and recommends that the Scottish Government provide an update on its plans for consolidation centres, moving freight from road to rail and night time deliveries.

Other causes of air pollution

• The Committee recommends that the Scottish Government review the current regulations and guidance on the installation of wood burning and multi fuel stoves and boilers in homes to ensure that air pollution from wood burning and multi-fuel stoves is sufficiently considered and appropriately regulated.

New evidence published in the Cochrane Library shows that nutritional labelling on menus may reduce a person’s calorie intake.

Researchers found that labelling on menus in restaurants led to a reduction of 47 calories purchased. They said assuming an average meal of 600 kcal, labelling on menus would reduce the number of calories purchased per meal by 7.8%.

The team of Cochrane researchers brought together results of 28 studies evaluating the effects of nutritional labels on purchasing and consumption in a systematic review.

The team reviewed the evidence to establish whether and by how much nutritional labels on food or non-alcoholic drinks affect the amount of food or drink people choose, buy, eat or drink. They considered studies in which the labels had to include information on the nutritional or calorie content of the food or drink. They excluded those including only logos (e.g. ticks or stars), or interpretative colours (e.g. 'traffic light' labelling) to indicate healthier and unhealthier foods.

However, the authors stressed that the quality of evidence reviewed was “low” and they were only “tentatively” suggesting that nutritional labelling on menus in restaurants could be used as part of a wider set of measures to tackle obesity. They called for more high quality evidence to strengthen the findings.

The Review's lead author, Professor Theresa Marteau, Director of the Behaviour and Health Research Unit at the University of Cambridge, UK, says: "This evidence suggests that using nutritional labelling could help reduce calorie intake and make a useful impact as part of a wider set of measures aimed at tackling obesity," She added, "There is no 'magic bullet' to solve the obesity problem, so while calorie labelling may help, other measures to reduce calorie intake are also needed."

Commenting of the review Geoff Ogle, Chief Executive at Food Standards Scotland said: “We welcome this Cochrane review, which suggests that including calories on menus could reduce a person’s calorie intake by an average of 8%.

“This supports findings included in our recently updated Situation Report: The Scottish Diet, it needs to change which found that  66% of us agree that cafes and restaurants should display calorie information.

“As well as providing information for consumers buying food in cafes and restaurants, we believe nutrition labelling could also encourage businesses to reformulate their products so they contain less calories.

“While many larger cafés and restaurants do provide calorie information, it can be more difficult for smaller businesses to do the same.  For this reason, Food Standards Scotland has piloted a free web-based calorie calculator, called MenuCal, to help small businesses in Scotland to put calories on their menus.

“We know that food and drink consumed outside the home in Scotland is skewed towards less healthy products such as sugar sweetened drinks and speciality coffees, chips, burgers, cakes and pastries. Food Standards Scotland will be taking forward a new strategy for eating outside the home in Scotland, for public consultation later in the year, and which will include measures such as calorie labelling.”

Chefs and cooks have a powerful influence – from supporting small producers to influencing what we eat, from education to community projects, and beyond. Slow Food’s Scottish Chef Alliance recognises and supports those efforts as they help to build a ‘good, clean and fair’ food culture in Scotland.

Slow Food Scotland Chef Alliance joins similar Slow Food networks from countries as diverse as Albania and Canada, Mexico and Italy and now numbers over 550 chefs.

In order to be part of the Alliance, chefs must, for example, meet protocols such as using Ark of Taste* products, supporting small local producers, being transparent about sourcing with their customers and engaging with local Slow Food groups, all in the spirit of ‘good, clean and fair’ food.

Chef and food writer, Wendy Barrie, has been recognised for supporting these values and has recently been appointed as a member.

Wendy is no stranger to local food culture from organising food events, producing recipe booklets, developing sustainable cooking course and later becoming chief inspector for a national food guide. She has also worked with East Ayrshire Council on their trail blazing school lunches and was twice invited to Italy by Slow Food to share good practice.

Inspired to collaborate more with artisan producers and like-minded chefs, Wendy founded her own food guides Scottish Food Guide in 2002 and Scottish Cheese Trail in 2004. She has also won the Food Tourism Catering in Scotland Excellence Award. Dedicated to biodiversity and food heritage, Wendy was invited to Slow Food’s inaugural Terra Madre 2004 and was deeply moved by the experience.

At Scotland’s Royal Highland Show, she manages the theatres in Scotland’s Larder Live; organising their Scottish Bread Championships she co-founded in 2017 with Scotland the Bread, and supporting their Dairy Championships with artisan cheese tasting. Her collaboration with local producers and chefs extends to commissions in France and Scandinavia.

Wendy is also Scotland’s Leader for the Slow Food Ark of Taste.

*The Ark of Taste programme aims to catalogue and promote quality products from around the world that are rooted in culture, history and tradition and that are in danger of disappearing. It seeks to re-discover an extraordinary heritage of fruits, vegetables, animal breeds, cheeses, breeds, sweets, cured meats, and much more. Products that feature on Scotland Ark List is everything from Reestit mutton and Native Shetland Lamb to beremeal, peasemeal and the Musselburgh Leek. 

Footnote: Wendy Barrie is a current member of the REHIS council, REHIS congratulate her on her new role. 

A report published by researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University has found presence of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in shellfish samples purchased from local supermarkets.

The samples that tested positive for the virus represent 2.9% of the 310 samples purchased. The virus was found in eight blue mussels and one oyster. The shellfish tested in the study were bought from four supermarkets in the Glasgow area and a fishmonger on the east coast, although the individual outlets have not been named.

It is the first time that HEV has been detected in commercially sold shellfish in Scotland.

The researchers hope that these findings may encourage further research that will help address the gaps in the knowledge in respect to foodborne transmission of HEV in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

The most recent figures from 2016 show the number of laboratory-diagnosed cases of HEV in Scotland increased to 206 from just 13 in 2011. Previous cases of HEV were linked to contaminated pork meat and soft fruit in Europe.

Prof Linda Scobie, principal investigator of the GCU study, said: "We don't know at what point in the food processing chain this contamination occurred.

"There are significant gaps in our knowledge with HEV in the UK, we don't know how much virus is required to cause infection, unlike the norovirus where you only need a few particles to cause acute illness.

"What we do know is more people are being diagnosed and if they have particular medical conditions then they are at risk of becoming very ill."

Unlike oysters, which are traditionally eaten raw, mussels are less likely to pose a risk of HEV infection to consumers because they are normally cooked before being eaten.

The authors, writing in the academic journal Food and Environmental Virology, said: "The present study is the first to demonstrate the occurrence of HEV in commercially harvested Scottish mussels sold at retail, albeit at low levels, 2.9%."