Local MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a report from the Meat & Livestock Commission (MLC) which highlights reductions in the fat and salt content of red meat over recent years and provides further evidence of its nutritional benefits as a boost to the local farming industry.
Mr Stevenson – whose Banff & Buchan Constituency is one of the prime meat-producing areas of the country – commented:
“Modern breeding and feeding techniques along with improved butchery methods have helped to ensure that red meat is much leaner. For example, the fat content of port has been reduced by over 30 per cent making pork in this country virtually the leanest in the world. Today, fully trimmed raw beef typically contains only 5 per cent fat.
“For those who choose to consume meat as part of a balanced diet, there are considerable nutritional benefits, bot in terms of weight maintenance and the provision of iron, zinc, B vitamins and other trace elements.
“The MLC report makes clear the improvements made in meat and meat production as people’s lifestyles change. Your local independent butcher – and there are 17 of them across Banff & Buchan – is well-placed to provide advice on this. I always buy my meat from local butchers shops for the high quality product and service they provide.”
Banff and Buchan SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson has written to the Headteacher of Fordyce Primary School, Sheila Smith, congratulating her and her staff following the publication of the latest HM Inspector of Education (HMIe) report on Fordyce Primary School. Commenting on the report Mr Stevenson said:
“This is an absolutely glowing report, which is a great credit to the headteacher and staff at Fordyce primary. The school is providing a very high standard of education, and I am pleased also to note that the teamwork and effectiveness of the headteacher and staff in establishing partnerships with parents and the wider community has been acknowledged by HM Inspector.”
“The school is a shinning example of what can be achieved, and I look forward to visiting the school to meet staff and pupils one day soon.”
Local MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a report from the Meat & Livestock Commission (MLC) which highlights reductions in the fat and salt content of red meat over recent years and provides further evidence of its nutritional benefits as a boost to the local farming industry.
Mr Stevenson – whose Banff & Buchan Constituency is one of the prime meat-producing areas of the country – commented:
“Modern breeding and feeding techniques along with improved butchery methods have helped to ensure that red meat is much leaner. For example, the fat content of port has been reduced by over 30 per cent making pork in this country virtually the leanest in the world. Today, fully trimmed raw beef typically contains only 5 per cent fat.
“For those who choose to consume meat as part of a balanced diet, there are considerable nutritional benefits, bot in terms of weight maintenance and the provision of iron, zinc, B vitamins and other trace elements.
“The MLC report makes clear the improvements made in meat and meat production as people’s lifestyles change. Your local independent butcher – and there are 17 of them across Banff & Buchan – is well-placed to provide advice on this. I always buy my meat from local butchers shops for the high quality product and service they provide.”
Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has reacted angrily to a response from Lib Dem Transport Minister Nicol Stephen that the Hatton Bends realignment scheme on the A90 has been delayed once again.
In a response to Mr Stevenson – who along with local MP Alex Salmond has been campaigning for the upgrade to be carried out – Nicol Stephen states that
“difficulties have been experienced in the negotiations to acquire the necessary land which makes it likely that Compulsory Purchase Order procedures will require to be utilised. There have also been difficulties . . .with a nearby pipeline.”
Mr Stevenson commented:
“I have to say that I find this situation totally unacceptable. Successive Scottish Executive Transport Ministers have given varying explanations for the delay since 2000 and we appear to be no further forward.
“In April 2000, former Transport Minister Sarah Boyack advised then-MSP Alex Salmond in a Parliamentary Answer that work would commence on improving the Hatton Bends in 2001/02. At a meeting with Deputy Transport Minister Lewis Macdonald in March 2002, I was advised work would start by the end of 2002. The tender process then had to be re-advertised as only 2 contractors submitted bids and a new start date of September 2003 was given. This was then changed to October 2003 due to 'land and design problems'. Now, we appear to have an entirely new set of factors.
“I am not at all satisfied with this spectacular lack of progress from the Scottish Executive during the last four years and my constituents are most certainly not satisfied. With no local rail link into Aberdeen, a good road network is essential to keep the local economy moving and this delay is intolerable.
“I am again calling on the Transport Minister to get a grip of the situation and move heaven and earth, but mostly earth, to get this project completed as soon as possible.”
Banff & Buchan SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson has called for the ‘compensation culture’ to be addressed before it severely inhibits the activities of local voluntary groups.
Mr Stevenson commented:
“It concerns me that it is very often the case nowadays that valuable community effort is being under-utilised because of the fear of legal claims against voluntary groups. Indeed, the so-called ‘compensation culture’ which afflicts society these days is one of the reasons why so few events are able to go ahead without public liability insurance being in place.
“The increasing cost of obtaining public liability insurance is one of the great deterrents to local community groups to stage events and it is high time that some common sense was injected back into this area.
“There are currently moves at Westminster to put a duty on event organisers to issue a ‘Statement of Inherent Risk’ to participants, and by signing up, participants accept the – usually minimal - risks involved.
“We simply cannot afford to lose so much of our voluntary activity because it is dismissed as risky in terms of the possibility of being sued.”
Mr Stevenson has written to the Scottish Executive seeking their support for voluntary activities and asking them to look at the legislation currently being considered by Westminster.
In her reply to Mr Stevenson, Communities Minister Margaret Curran states:
“I do clearly recognise the issues you raise in respect of barriers to voluntary activity in Scotland. I am committed to supporting all of those who make a valuable contribution to the people and communities of Scotland through their work in the voluntary sector and volunteering. As such, the Scottish Executive will continue to work with the voluntary sector to enable us to respond effectively to barriers to volunteering, both now and in the future.”
Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has written to Agriculture Minister Ross Finnie with concerns on the national beef envelope plan following meetings with farmers and NFU officials where the issue was raised as one of great concern.
Mr Stevenson commented:
“Ross Finnie must take farmers’ concerns about the effect of the Beef Envelope proposals seriously. The distorting effect will damage everyone involved in the industry and destroy our chances of re-establishing Scots Beef as a significant international product.
“That the NFU had its largest response ever to a consultation exercise with over half its members physically turning out to meetings to express their view gives some indication of the depth of feeling which exists on this subject.”
In his letter to Mr Finnie, Mr Stevenson also challenges the Minister on ignoring the results of SEERAD’s own consultation:
“I understand that SEERAD’s own consultation produced a similar result and I am disappointed therefore that you did not pay heed to the results of your own department’s consultation exercise. My farming constituents should be very interested in understanding your reasons for commissioning a consultation and then ignoring the results.”
Mr Stevenson has called on the Scottish Executive to reverse the decision to implement the scheme or, failing that, to introduce it at zero per cent in order that the expected difficulties can be identified and neutralised without causing hardship to farmers.
Commenting following the visit by Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson MSP, to Peterhead Prison today (Tuesday),
Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson said:
“This was an extremely useful visit which allowed the Minister to meet with staff, and see at first hand the fabric of the prison as well as the vital work that is done within its walls. I know that the Minister was impressed by the dedication of staff, and in particular the total culture which exists throughout the prison focussed on addressing offending behaviour.
“Peterhead plays a crucial role in the criminal justice system, a role which could not be replicated elsewhere, and I hope that the Minister will now commit to securing the long-term future of the prison and the difficult work that it does.”
Local MSP Stewart Stevenson has announced details of his annual surgery tour of Banff & Buchan communities.
Starting next Monday, the SNP MSP will be visiting over 40 towns and villages in his marathon surgery tour over the next two weeks. Mr Stevenson’s Mobile Office will be stopping at places as diverse as Boddam in the east and Bogton in the west and all points in between.
Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:
“My mobile surgery tour encompasses many small villages and communities and gives me first hand experience of hearing and seeing some of the issues on the ground.
“I think it is important for constituents to be able to meet their MSP in their own locality and the summer tour gives me the opportunity to get into some of the smaller communities that I may otherwise not be able to call upon.
“I always enjoy the summer tour immensely so I am very much looking forward to getting out on the road.”
The surgery tour kicks-off on Monday 16 August in New Pitsligo. Mr Stevenson will reach his milestone 250th surgery on Wednesday 18 August when he calls at Sandend.
Note: The surgery tour will take place over 5 days from 16 to 27 August. Surgeries will be held in the Scottish National Party caravan and no appointment is necessary although constituents are welcome to phone the office in advance to advise their attendance. Details of venues and times are attached and will be advertised in the local press.
HEALTH MINISTER MUST GIVE CLARIFICATION ON SPENDING
Shadow Deputy Health Minister Mr Stewart Stevenson MSP has today (Thursday) said that there needs to be clarification from the Health Minister about how money is being spent in the NHS after an Audit Scotland report found that while there is an increasing amount of funds being pumped into the service, more must be done to show how the money is truly benefiting patients.
Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:
“While it may be reassuring to hear that an increasing amount of money is being spent on the NHS in Scotland, what we are still unsure of is how this will truly benefit patients.
“The Auditor General has recognised that there are holes in the system and that there is an information gap surrounding the overall performance of the health service.
“There clearly needs to be a further explanation about how targets that the Executive has set will be achieved, otherwise it will be almost impossible to say for certain whether the overall performance of the health service has improved.
“The Health Minister must now make it clear about how money is being spent so that conclusions can be drawn about whether the Executive is doing what is best for Scottish patients and indeed NHS staff."
Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
