Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson paid a visit to the second day of the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston on Friday.
Mr Stevenson used the opportunity to meet with farmers, NFU officials and exhibitors. Among those he met with were supermarket giant Tesco, who have stores in Banff, Fraserburgh and across the North-east. The MSP took the opportunity to restate his desire to see fair prices paid to farmers and producers and for more locally-sourced produce to be available in supermarkets.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Stevenson commented:
“The farming industry is not without its concerns and challenges, such as the national beef envelope to give but one example, but I detected a more optimistic industry than has been the case for some time now.
“I took the opportunity to meet with officials from the Tesco supermarket chain while I was there. It is my wish to see much more products in our supermarkets sourced from local suppliers and producers and I will be meeting with Tesco shortly in that regard.
“Such a policy keeps more money in the local economy and accrues more benefit to local producers. It also cuts down on ‘food miles’ and the pointless burning of fuel to transport items from miles away which are available locally.
“I have previously raised this matter in Parliament when NHS, Prison Service and other Government procurement was being discussed. The private sector must not be allowed to escape the same level of attention. While I recognise that many supermarkets already carry selected local products, the situation could be far, far better and I want to see the hard-earned cash of local people benefiting local business.”
Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has backed a Parliamentary Motion supporting Men’s Health Week seek which aims to encourage men to undertake regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury.
Commenting on the issue, Mr Stevenson said:
“It is great to see many sectors such as health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals coming together to publicise the week. Special recognition must be given to Men's Health Forum Scotland for the power of good that it does.
“Research has shown that men have a lower life expectancy, higher suicide rate and a higher death rate from diseases such as cancer and heart disease than women. Furthermore, it is recognised that men are less likely to have chronic diseases identified and treated early and that men attend their GPs less than half as often as women. Hopefully the activities of Men’s Health Week will ensure that this trend of men shying from their GP will reverse.
“Attention must be given to the simple fact that regular medical examinations, preventive screenings, exercise and healthy eating habits help save lives and can lead to men living longer with a higher quality of life. The importance of annual health examinations and early detection cannot be overstated.
“I am sure that Men’s Health Week achieved its aim of heightening the awareness of preventable health problems and encouraging early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. It must also be noted that recognizing and preventing men's health problems is not just a man's issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men's health is truly a family issue.”
Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has today (Thursday) questioned the First Minister, Jack McConnell, over serious concerns about the senior management of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). Speaking in parliament Mr Stevenson highlighted a catalogue of concerns, including an instance of the former deputy Justice Minister being thwarted by senior officials over a planned prison fact finding visit. The SNP MSP asked the First Minister whether the government could still have confidence in SPS senior management.
Mr Stevenson asked:
“Does the First Minister think it is a high level of performance…that the SPS management has sat for four years on the proposal to address slopping-out at Peterhead Prison. Are your aware, First Minister, that in 2002 Richard Simpson - the then Deputy Justice Minister – was told by the SPS that permission to visit a French prison could not be obtained, while simultaneously I obtained such permission as an opposition backbencher, including permission for the Deputy Justice Minister to visit that prison. Does he agree that it is entirely unacceptable that the head of the Scottish Prison Service could not answer entirely predictable questions from the Scottish Parliament Justice Committees in both 2002, and learning nothing, again in 2004. Is the First Minister aware that my concerns are widely shared across parliament, and that progress cannot be made in the prison service without effective management.”
In response to Mr Stevenson’s questioning the First Minister stopped some way short of giving his full backing to SPS management.
Speaking after First Minister’s Question Time, Mr Stevenson said:
“The senior management of the SPS have become not only an embarrassment to the government, but as the ‘Reliance’ prisoner escort fiasco demonstrates, they have become a liability as well.
“In response to my catalogue of concerns, and the concerns of others from across the parliament chamber, I was pleased that the First Minister underlined the importance that the Scottish Executive place on the effectiveness of management. It is telling however that Mr McConnell stopped well short of offering his full backing to the SPS management, and who can blame him. The Chief Executive of the SPS, Tony Cameron, has consistently failed in his job, and like one of his ‘Reliance’ prisoners, Mr Cameron should now be released from the prison service.”
Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
