How many meetings it has had with the major supermarket chains to discuss Scottish agricultural produce and the promotion of Scottish produ…

Answered Asked by Richard Lochhead SNP Lodged 23 Nov 1999

The question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings it has had with the major supermarket chains to discuss Scottish agricultural produce and the promotion of Scottish produce, with whom it met, who represented it, when these meetings took place and whether the issue of supermarkets' profit margins on Scottish agricultural produce was discussed.

The answer

Answered by Ross Finnie on 7 Dec 1999 · 14 days after it was lodged, on time

I met with the Technical Manager of Marks and Spencer on 7 August. I had also planned to meet the Chief Executive of Asda, but this meeting was postponed at the company's request following their take-over by Walmart.On 10 November, the First Minister attended an event to discuss UK supply chain issues and met the Chief Executives of Sainsbury's, Asda and Somerfield, and the Trading Director of Tesco.The issue of supermarket profit margins and their impact on Scottish agricultural produce was not discussed at these meetings. Competition policy is a reserved matter and it would be inappropriate for the Scottish Executive to discuss such matters when the Competition Commission are actively looking at the supermarkets' competitive position.

In the Official Report

No contribution in the Official Report cites S1W-02728 by reference.