Whisky Tourism

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the growth of whisky tourism in rural communities, including in Speyside. (S7O-00483)

I commend Laura Mitchell’s work on this key issue, as she is a fierce advocate for the whisky sector in her constituency. Like me, she will know that the whisky sector accounts for around 72 per cent of Scotland’s exports, or it did so in 2025. More than that, however, it is about how we attract people to the sector’s visitor centres in Moray and elsewhere in Scotland. I am pleased to say that the Scottish Government, through its many agencies, works closely with the whisky sector in that regard and will continue to do so as part of the Scotland outlook 2030 tourism strategy.

As the cabinet secretary set out, the Scotch whisky industry is hugely important to Scotland’s economy and particularly to the communities that I represent, and it is vital that we do all that we can to support the industry’s growth. That is especially important following the further blow of another increase in spirits duty in the recent United Kingdom budget.

On devolved responsibilities, can the cabinet secretary outline what discussions he has had with the industry on its calls for a joint Scotch whisky tourism promotion plan, which could deliver real benefits for Scotland’s distillers and for the wider rural economy?

The points that Laura Mitchell raises are incredibly important, and I assure her and members in the chamber that I stand ready to work closely with the whisky sector in Scotland to take forward any action in that regard, or indeed any other proposals that the sector seeks to bring forward, to ensure that there is continued growth in the sector.

Scottish whisky distilleries are unique and world renowned and they create magical drams across Scotland, but especially in Argyll and Bute, attracting visitors from around the world. With regard to that tourism experience, does the cabinet secretary agree that the geographical indication that the UK Government has introduced for English whisky is yet another example of where decisions that the UK Government makes water down and undermine the integrity, culture and worth of Scotland and our whisky tourism offer?

I do, and what a stark contrast we can all see between the efforts of the First Minister of Scotland in helping to ensure that we got over the line with regard to tariffs in the United States of America and the decision of the UK Government in respect of whisky duty in the budget, which followed consecutive failures in budgets from consecutive UK Governments.

Of course, the UK Government’s decision to give GI status to English whisky is ridiculous. It does a disservice to the Scotch whisky sector and, I think, to the Labour Party as a whole.

Mr Fraser will be acutely aware of the fact that that proposal did not proceed during the previous session of Parliament. I assure him that I am a keen advocate of the Scotch whisky sector—and, at certain points, a keen consumer of its products, as I am sure that many members are—and I am not aware of any proposals to return to what was undertaken in that session.

Mr Hoy always comes to the chamber and invites me to spend some time with him. It is a very generous offer, although I might have to pass on this occasion. However, I take this opportunity to congratulate his constituents on their formidable work. They should be very proud of that and I am sure that, as their constituency MSP, he is very proud of them.