The SNP stand accused of literally making Scots “sick to their stomachs” following their cuts to the Food Standards Scotland budget.
After meeting with the agency earlier this year, shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr submitted a series of questions to SNP ministers. The responses to them reveal the stark impact of reduced funding on the quango’s work.
The SNP have failed to increase Food Standards Scotland’s budget since 2022/23, which amounts to an 18 per cent cut in real terms, with employee numbers falling each year since 2021.
As a result, almost 1,000 fewer food business inspections took place in Scotland in 2024, compared to the year before.
At the same time, detections of campylobacter, the most common bacterial cause of food poisoning, have increased by nearly seven per cent, with detections of salmonella up by almost nine per cent.
Liam Kerr says cuts to the budgets of local authorities and Food Standards Scotland are putting food safety at risk and must be reversed to ease the pressure on overwhelmed staff.
His comments come ahead of a scheduled meeting between public health minister Jenni Minto and Food Standards Scotland next week.
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr MSP said: “We know the damage SNP cuts are doing across Scotland, but it looks as though these ones are literally making Scots sick to their stomach.
“The work of Food Standards Scotland is vitally important, yet SNP ministers are failing to give them the resources they need.
“That is leading to fewer food inspections being carried out and a lack of prosecutions for food crimes.
“At the same time, shockingly yet predictably, the number of food poisoning-related illnesses has sharply increased in Scotland.
“SNP cuts to Food Standards Scotland and local councils across the country are putting food safety at risk in our communities.
“These cuts must be reversed to protect public health and ease the pressure on staff who are being asked to do more with less.”
Notes
The number of food business inspections has fallen every year since 2022, decreasing by 6% to date. 20,745 food businesses were inspected by local authorities in 2022 which has fallen year-on-year since. There were 20,409 in 2023 and 19,466 in 2024. This represents a 6% decrease between 2022 and 2024. (Scottish Parliament, 19 May 2025, link)
The number of people employed by Food Standards Scotland has fallen every year since 2021, decreasing by 11% to date. Food Standards Scotland employed 314 full time employees in 2021-22 which has fallen year-on-year since. There were 295 in 2022-23, 281 in 2023-24 and 277 in 2024-25. This represents an 11% decrease between 2021 and 2025. (Scottish Parliament, 19 May 2025, link)
Food Standards Scotland has only made 4 referrals of food crime to be prosecuted in 4 years. 3 food crimes were referred by Food Standards Scotland to the Procurator Fiscal in 2020 but since then there has only been 1 referral in each year for 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. (Scottish Parliament, 19 May 2025, link)
Food Standards Scotland’s budget has remained flat since 2022, despite an 18% rise in inflation. Food Standards Scotland’s budget has been flat at £22.6 million since 2022-23. This is despite inflation rising by 18% between 2022 and 2024 as measured by the Consumer Price Index. (Scottish Parliament, 19 May 2025, link; ONS, 21 May 2025, link)
Detections of the most common bacterial cause of food poisoning have increased by nearly 7%. Laboratory detections of campylobacter, the most common bacterial cause of food poisoning in the UK, increased from 5552 in 2022 to 5930 in 2023 – a 6.8% increase. Laboratory detections of salmonella, the second most common bacterial cause of food poisoning in the UK, increased from 682 in 2022 to 742 in 2023 – an 8.7% increase. (Public Health Scotland, 13 December 2024, link; Public Health Scotland, 13 December 2024, link)
Food Standards Scotland has complained to the Scottish Government about the financial pressures they are facing. The Scottish Government admitted, ‘As part of the Scottish Government 25/26 budget, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) was given a flat budget. FSS have notified the Scottish Government of a pressure due to increased staffing and delivery costs and the Scottish Government will work with FSS to manage the pressure.’ (Scottish Parliament, 19 May 2025, link)
Local authority budgets have seen real terms cuts from the Scottish Government for years. COSLA said, ‘Local Governments’ core budgets have seen real terms cuts over the last decade and have therefore not kept pace with growing need, rising demand, unprecedented levels of inflation and cost pressures.’ Audit Scotland identified that in 2024 all 32 Scottish councils have a funding gap of £585 million which is estimated to increase to £780 million by 2026/27 (COSLA, 30 August 2024, link; Audit Scotland, May 15 2024, link)
Despite inspections falling across Scotland, the number of food businesses operating in cities like Edinburgh has increased. Edinburgh City Council reported that, ‘On 1 February 2024, 7,769 food businesses were operating in Edinburgh, an increase of 375 since 1 February 2023. However, as there is a significant turnover of food businesses in the city, the increase does not represent the total number of new businesses. In fact, in the past 12 months, 608 new food businesses in the city have been recorded.’ (Edinburgh City Council, 21 June 2024, link)
Food Standards Scotland is responsible for food safety, food standards, nutrition, food labelling and meat inspection in Scotland. Food Standards Scotland objectives as set out in law are ‘to protect the public from risks to health which may arise in connection with the consumption of food’, ‘to improve the extent to which members of the public have diets which are conducive to good health’ and ‘to protect the other interests of consumers in relation to food’. (Food Standards Scotland, link)