HAGGIS INDUSTRY SKILLS SHORTAGE

That this House notes that haggis is an iconic Scottish dish which exemplifies the global appeal of Scottish premium food products; further notes that haggis generates around £1 million to the Scottish economy in the run-up to Burns night; notes further that the production of haggis requires ongoing investment in training to ensure Scotland has enough skilled butchers; regrets that in December 2007 financial support from the European Social Fund, which previously accounted for half of all public funding for training in Scotland's meat trade, was withdrawn; expresses concern that `Improve', the independent sector skills council which oversees training in the food and drink industry, has reported that a number of haggis producers in Scotland consider there to be a shortage of skilled workers in the craft butchery trade; and calls on the United Kingdom Government to do everything possible to ensure that the haggis industry in Scotland is adequately supported.