This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scotland set to become Fair Trade nation
03/07/2006
Scottish government has joined forces with Wales to draw up a detailed set of criteria to enable them to become Fair Trade nations.
First Minister Jack McConnell made the announcement today exactly a year after a quarter of a million people marched through the streets of Edinburgh to make poverty history.
Speaking at a major conference in Glasgow where he addressed ambassadors and diplomats from across the world, the First Minister said:
"I am determined Scotland will do whatever it can to help end the scandal of poverty in the developing world. Our commitment to fair trade is at the centre of our national effort to help make poverty history.
"Countries in Africa and the developing world need financial help. But they cannot grow and stand on their own two feet by relying on aid. More importantly, I know that countries like Malawi, don't want to simply exist on handouts.
"Trade is one of the key ways that Malawians living on around 15 kwacha - six pence - a day can escape grinding poverty. But it must be fair trade. Fair Trade is not about charity - it is a way to ensure workers receive fair prices and decent working conditions."
Background
The measurable criteria for Scotland to become a Fair Trade nation are:
- 100 per cent of local authorities to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
- 55 per cent of local authority areas to have Fair Trade status, with 10% annual increase in following years
- All of Scotland's cities to have Fair Trade status
- Minimum of 55 per cent of Scottish towns to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
- 60 per cent of Higher Education institutions to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
- Increase by 5 per cent each year the proportion of the population who know about Fair Trade (currently 45 per cent)
- 75 per cent of people to buy a Fair Trade product every year
- 40 per cent of people who regularly buy Fair Trade products
There are also a range of other criteria that the Executive, Parliament, and other public bodies will aim to follow.
The First Minister announced his intention to see Scotland become a Fair Trade nation at the Diplomat Magazine 2006 Conference "The World Comes to Scotland" at Strathclyde University. The conference was attended by ambassadors and diplomats from across the world.
Last March the First Minister made a commitment for Scotland to work towards becoming a Fair Trade Nation. He asked Ms Ferguson, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport (who has responsibility for international development) to establish and chair a cross-party working group of MSPs to consider how this might be achieved. Fair Trade has no place in party politics.
The Executive and the Scottish Parliament have already taken a number of steps to support fair trade products. A range of fair trade products have been on sale in Executive and Parliament buildings for a number of years, and we continue to look to expand the range of produce on offer. All tea and coffee supplied to internal SE meetings is now Fair-trade, and all staff restaurants offer a choice of fairly traded tea and coffee and participate in the promotional activities of Fairtrade fortnight.
After consultation with Scottish and UK Fair Trade bodies, guidance previously issued by the Executive to public sector bodies on fair and ethical trading in public procurement is currently being revised by the Scottish Procurement Directorate and will be published soon.
Although regulation of international trade is a reserved matter, the Scottish Executive takes a real interest in the Fairtrade Foundation and in ethical trade issues and maintains close contact with the UK government on such matters.