 Fynd ydych chi hgylivau i ddigonion i ddim yn gweithgo. Os rwy'n gweithio y ddigonion rom 50 o'r bobl, y mor phob wng Ngysgrifenni ddigonion yng Ngysgrifenni yn 1.1887, yn y nameu Ivan McKee, yn eu cylau'r sgolfannau i'r echoes i'r Siogwiskor dros y dyma. Dechrau'r bobl hynny nid. Rydyn ni'n cwestiynau ei ddim yn bwyd i'r bobl, i wnaeth i gwaith i bob i cyflwyparu ar hyn— i'n rhaid i ddim yn ddweud arFTr. Rwy'n debyg yr awtod y byddur maen nhw i gymemio gyda'r blaen nhw i chi wnaeth ei fynd i'ch wsgolwch yn teimlo i'ch roi, ac fel chi'n bwysig i chi ddweud, gan hollbwysgol, yn mynd weithio ei bod yn mynd i chi, yn hollbwysgol. Daltid yn hefyd yn rhaid i chi'n ei pryd yn rhaid i chi llei'r creduol ar gweithio'r eictranaeth i chi i chi, i chi meddwl i chi sy'n hefydol, ac i chi'n mynd i i chi I'm sure he'll let us know that he's got more distilleries than anyone else in the country. Indeed I shall. Does the member accept that perhaps volume and quantity of distilleries and value of distilleries might differ, and I'd like to put in a picture of my own constituency in that regard? The member may say that I couldn't possibly comment. We're here to debate and celebrate Scotland's iconic Scotch whisky industry, and I know that members will recycle a lot of facts and statistics through the course of this debate, but I'm first, so I get to use them first, and you're going to have to just follow along behind, but I shall use them sparingly. You'll be delighted to know. The debate allows us to highlight the most recent report on the economic impact of the sector. It shows that GVA gross value had up 29 per cent since the last report in 2018 at £5.3 billion. A big, big number. I always like to put that into something that's a bit more understandable, but that's around £1,000 per person for every person living in Scotland. The investment in capital projects over that time of more than £2 billion, much of it in the transition to net zero that I'm going to come on and talk about shortly. 41,000 jobs across the sector, and many of them course in our rural and island communities. I counted myself when I worked in the sector for a couple of years back in the 90s as one of those employees of the sector. Of course, the sector is a big focus on local supply chains and local suppliers helping local economies around the country. One of the most significant impacts of the sector is its international impact. That has been significant for the best part of 200 years or perhaps more since Johnny Walker's iconic brands and other brands are available. That export market in more than 180 countries has now grown to more than £6 billion. 43 bottles per second are exported during the course of my brief remarks this afternoon. The sector will have exported more than 18,000 bottles of Scotch. It's not just the revenue that that generates. It's also a critical part of Scotland's international image and profile. It's a key attractor for other sectors, not least of course our tourism sector, but I have seen first-hand a door opener if you want to hold an event anywhere in the world on energy, technology and financial services to promote Scottish businesses. If you've got the Scotch whisky sector in attendance, be it in Madrid, Warsaw or Stockholm or anywhere else I've visited in that regard, it brings in people to have a drama and talk business across all those sectors that Scotland is rightly able to export in great numbers. I want to comment, as I indicated earlier, a bit about the commendable focus of the sector on the transition to net zero, an intention to decarbonise its own operations by 2040 and supply chains by 2045. A focus on sustainable water use, efficient and recyclable packaging, conservation and regeneration of peatland and much more besides. Indeed, I shall. I thank Ivan McKee for taking the intervention. Do you recognise the huge advancements that a company in my constituency, Carbon Capture Scotland, and I believe that Ivan has visited there in the past and the efforts to decarbonise the whisky industry and the amazing progress that they have made in that division? Ivan McKee. The member is absolutely correct. I was just about to mention that business. I have visited them in his constituency. Fabulous work they are doing on Carbon Capture. It is something that I understand is being rolled out across distilleries around the country. It is hugely welcome. I want to say a brief minute to mention an issue that maybe does not get mentioned in this context, but it is something that I have had correspondence on. It is an issue that, as a member of the health committee, I think is important to raise. That is the issue of responsible drinking, which, of course, has its own economic impact. It is hugely important that an informed evidence-based dialogue with the sector on this issue continues. I know that it is an issue that the sector takes seriously, promoting, as it does, responsible consumption, tackling harmful drinking. Of course, the vast majority of people who enjoy the wonderful products of the Scotch whisky sector do so responsibly. Harmful and hazard is drinking down around a third in the last 20 years, and particularly marked reduction amongst younger age groups. Progress is being made. I think that it is not contradictory because the sector values a move to higher value, higher margin premium products, which is an economic interest of the sector, and of course promotes that the product, as a premium product, is not something to be abused. Will the member take an intervention? Indeed, I shall. I thank the member for taking an intervention. On the point of responsible drinking, he acknowledged the efforts that Diazio has made in relation to that. We are also talking about facts and figures. It is not just rural and island communities. There is more whisky in my constituency than anywhere else in the world. We had the first ever industrial scale production of whisky in Scotland, so it is something that stretches right across the whole of Scotland. I am well aware that the member has some significant supply chain businesses and businesses in the sector in his constituency. I am sure that he would be delighted for him to put that on the record. I agree with him that the work that the sector strives to do in that regard is important. I know that the made-to-be-measured campaign, the code of practice and work on community alcohol partnerships and the Scottish industry alcohol partnerships are very important in that regard. I think that we can look forward with confidence to the future of the sector, a sector that, depending on when you want to mark out as having started, has been around for many hundreds of years. I am sure that it will continue for many more hundreds of years into the future, creating those high-value jobs and continuing to drive Scottish exports. It is really important that the Government, and I am sure that the minister will talk about this, continues to work closely with the sector, identifying what it needs to grow be that on skills, infrastructure or other support, as it moves towards that net zero sustainable sector. I look forward to continuing to sample the products and celebrate the success of the sector for many years into the future. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Thank you, Ms McKee. I now call Emma Harper to be followed by Craig Hoy. Ms Harper. Great. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I am really pleased to speak in this evening's debate, and I thank Ivan McKee for securing the debate. Before I begin, like Ivan McKee, I am a member of the health committee, and I remind chamber that I am a registered nurse, and I fully support the health recommendations to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol each week. Mr McKee has laid out very well his points and has affirmed that the Scotch whisky industry is vital for Scotland and our future economy. It has been 200 years since the 1823 XIs Act sanctioned the distilling of whisky, so now it is a good time to reflect on how the industry plans to take Scotch whisky forward for the next 200 years. For my contribution, Presiding Officer, I would like to highlight what I think is a key resource for the next 200 years, and that is women in the whisky industry and the marketplace. Presiding Officer, Yale University has found that women actually have more taste buds on their tongues than men. In fact, current studies suggest that women are far superior to men when it comes to tasting and smelling. I therefore suggest that the industry needs to max sicker, that they appeal and to advertise to us lassies that have discovered the amazing variation of smells and flavours that Scotch whisky offers. I am a relatively new convener to the cross-party group in whisky, and I have to thank Gordon MacDonald MSP for asking me to join. It wasn't a hard decision to make, Presiding Officer. The passion for history, the stories, the experiences of Scotland's national drink have been with me since I lived in California. After moving there in 1990. In the 90s, whisky as a product and whisky as an industry were both very male-dominated and focused. There were only a handful of women who were working in the Scotch whisky industry, and almost all of the adverts and marketing was directed to an older male consumer. Oftentimes, those adverts were downright blatantly misogynistic, which seemed to send the message to women that Scotch whisky isn't for you. Some thankful at the industry has almost completely stopped this practice, and overtly sexist marketing is rare now. But the sheer lack of representation of women in marketing and editorial imagery still feeds the insidious idea that Scotch whisky is not meant for women. This is something that I appeal to the industry to change. In 2020, a non-profit organisation called Our Whisky Foundation conducted a survey of how the world's largest whisky brands represented drinkers on social media, and they found that 220 per cent more images of men than women. In an effort to tackle this, Our Whisky Foundation launched a new website called Modern Face of Whisky. It's a free-to-use image library that depicts people of all genders, ages and races. It has the intention that the whisky industry will start using more diversity in their adverts. It will then appeal to a wider consumer base, including women and people under the age of 35. Statistics show that Scotch whisky drinkers discover that they like it before the age of 31. I'm very proud to say that today there are so many women working prominently in the whisky industry, and there are far too many to mention, which is really good news. I would however like to mention a couple of trailblazing women in whisky. Suzanne Cameron Nielson is our Head of Engagement for the Scotch Whisky Association in the cross-party group, and she helps us to keep us right with the secretariat duties. Margaret Nicolle is the hidden nose behind Dalmore's success. Dr Rachel Barry, master blender for brown-forming group of distilleries, and Cara Lang is the managing director of Douglas Lang and Company. So there are so many to mention, and we've got Caitlin Herd, who's the team leader at the Borders Distillery in Hoik, in my south Scotland region. So the minister, I'm sure, will be happy that I am not going to give him any duties this evening, except maybe to just acknowledge that there are distilleries in the south Scotland region. Gin, Rum and whisky, and the most southern distillery in Scotland, is Blagnach. So, Presiding Officer, I will just end quickly with what Annabelle Thomas, who's the founder of the Nicneen distillery, said last year. She said, my dream is that we get to a place where no one finds it surprising if women drink whisky, or indeed if women work in the whisky industry. I'll end it there, Presiding Officer, slan du va. Presiding Officer, and I'd like to thank Ivan McKee for bringing forward this important debate to the chamber, which allows us to celebrate Scotland's national drink. The story of Scotch dates back to the 15th century. And such is our love for a dram that has been immortalised in song, in poetry, in play and in film. And indeed our national bard Robbie Burns was so enamoured with Scotch that he wrote his ode to whisky, Scotch drink. And whisky is drunk right across the world in very many different ways. And when I lived in London, I invited my neighbour Arthur Howard, an actor made famous for his role alongside Jimmy Edwards in Waco. Now that ages me a bit down for a drink. And as a cash strap student, I speculated with my partner as to what Arthur's tipple might be. And Julie, because he was an actor, we went out to buy a bottle of gin. And when Arthur arrived, we asked him what he'd like to drink, steering him towards a gin and tonic. And he politely informed us that his day drink was pink gin, but his evening tipple was firmly a straight whisky. And presented with a gin and tonic, he happily cupped the glass and told us this story. Because Arthur was a great nephew to both Faye Compton and Compton Mackenzie. Compton Mackenzie, of course, being the author of whisky galore. And arriving on barra, where his great uncle apparently wrote him a show, Mackenzie asked what Arthur might like to drink. Arthur in his clip tone said a whisky and soda. Mackenzie apparently loudly and angrily repeated the word soda before retiring to the kitchen to bring him back a large mould without even the nearest dash of tap water, let alone a hint of soda. And I think that proves that drinking whisky is very much for our own tastes, as Emma Harper has just said. But today, regardless of how it's drunk, whisky is loved so much across the world that, as Ivan McKee said, 1.3 billion 70-litre bottles were exported last year. And Scottish food and drink, sorry, and this equates to 43 bottles per second, accounting for 77 per cent of Scotland's food and drink exports. Deputy Presiding Officer, I am fortunate enough to live just a few miles away from Glen Kinsey distillery. And Glen Kinsey is one of six single malt whiskies marketed by Ono Diagio as the classic malts of Scotland. And with a subtle floral flavour, Glen Kinsey was the key beneficiary of Diagio's £185 million investment in Scotch whisky tourism, which transformed the distillery to make it a world-class attraction. And the combination of its proximity to the capital and that recent investment in the visitor experience has helped to attract over 37,000 visitors in 2023, which is critical to the local economy in Eastlothian and across the south of Scotland. And I think collectively, Scotch whisky visitor centres are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Scotland, drawing visitors who then go on to spend more money in the local economy right across Scotland. And now in March, the cross-party group on beer and pubs, which I chair, launched an inquiry focused on brand Scotland and what it means for the beer and pub sector. And it's important that we understand what brand Scotland means to those businesses with those interests in Scotland, including Diagio. Scotch whisky is a vital part of the Scottish economy and it must be promoted responsibly because it is a central pillar of brand Scotland. Now, the Scottish Government's recent but aborted consultation on restricting alcohol, advertising and marketing and promotions would not, in my view, have achieved the intended outcomes of reducing alcohol consumption and alcohol harm, something that we should all be committed to. But I think it would have caused economic harm to Scotland and I was glad that the Scottish Government thought again, because it risked the future of attractions like the Johnny Walker Experience in Edinburgh. And I very much welcome the fact that the Scottish Government will hold further talks with the sector and with public health stakeholders before examining the issue again. But can I take this opportunity to urge ministers that when they are considering any further restrictions to marketing and advertising, that they work with the industry to make sure that it is a proportionate, evidence-based and workable solution that is brought forward and that you are cognisant of the huge amount of work that the Portman Group, for example, does in relation to self-regulation. In January, the Scottish Whiskey Association published a report showing how the value of Scotland's national drink drives economic growth. In that report, the wellbeing and economic secretary, Neil Gray, MSP said that the Scottish Whiskey industry is extremely valuable to the economy in terms of production and exports and increasingly for tourism and hospitality. And it's a success story at home and internationally. I don't always agree with Mr Gray, but can I say that I agree with him wholeheartedly there? So let us work in this Parliament and with the Government and with the industry to ensure 500 more years of success for iconic Scottish Whiskey industry. Thank you Mr Hoy. I now call Jackie Baillie to be followed by Fricka Shewing. Miss Baillie. Thank you Presiding Officer. I must start with an apology to the chamber, to the Presiding Officer and to the Minister as I need to leave before the conclusion of the debate. I have of course secured the permission of the Presiding Officer to do so. But let me thank Ivan McKee for securing this member's debate on Scotland's iconic Scottish Whiskey industry and for allowing us all to brag about our constituencies. The impact that the Scottish Whiskey industry has on both Scotland's economy, our culture and in our communities is truly incredible. And there are fewer enterprises so distinctly rooted in local communities that give back in such an enormous way. And I speak to this from experience. Yes, here it comes. In my constituency, the Loch Lomond Distillery and of course, Shivas are two of the most significant employers in the local area. The Loch Lomond Distillery is one of only four distilleries in Scotland to have its own on-site cooverage and four-year training programme. Thanks to the Scottish Whiskey industry, there are now over 300 skilled coopers across Scotland trained in the craft of repairing and rebuilding whisky barrels. And I can't of course mention the Loch Lomond Distillery without exercising my constituency bragging rights as the whisky exchange chose Loch Lomond's 18-year-old as its whisky of the year for 2024. I will bring in samples for those colleagues who wish them. But I am also immensely proud that the Shivas bottling plant is in the constituency and their contribution to the local and Scottish economy is huge alongside the very positive relationship with the local community in Dumbarton. Shivas brothers are of course best known for Shivas Regal and for Ballantyne's blended Scotchers which is one of the world's best-selling Scotch whiskeys. They also have gin and various other spirits for those who like them. But Shivas brothers has a track record of expansion in my constituency and their continued employment of local people now more and more on permanent contracts is a real vote of confidence in our area. Towards the end of last year, Shivas brothers put forward plans to invest in the expansion of the Kilmilled bottling site to improve site safety, to protect community walkways and ensure easy access around the site for Dumbarton residents. That is on top of a £60 million development in a new state of the art bottling hall which I would recommend to those who haven't seen it. This development cements their commitment to the local economy which will benefit us all for decades to come. But for the Scotch whisky industry to thrive it needs our support. The industry needs safe, efficient, reliable infrastructure networks to ensure the sustainable movement of workers' goods and visitors. Is the Scottish Government taking the action required to, for example, ensure that the ferry network is fit for purpose given the distilleries on our islands? The Scottish Government should also support the industry by taking steps to dual the A9 and the A96 and crucially in my constituency making improvements to the rest and be thankful. The Government has taken its time over progress with the rest and be thankful for quite a number of years now and local residents and businesses need decisive action and answers about what will happen to this much-needed project. As we have already heard, 41,000 Scotch whisky jobs across Scotland many in rural communities getting the infrastructure right is therefore crucial. Scotch whisky is our number one export from Dunbarton to Dalwini, from Skye to Stirling our 140 distilleries put Scotland on the map around the world. This is indeed brand Scotland that should properly support the industry and its employees if it is to continue to thrive globally and at home. It's not enough for us just to celebrate it. The Scottish Government must support the housing, the training, the community infrastructure that the industry needs to then support sustainable growth for the long term. Only then will Scotland's iconic Scotch whisky continue to grow and thrive as we would want it to do if we know it is. I now call Fergus Ewing to be followed by Tim Eagle. Mr Ewing. When I was first elected 25 years ago I discovered that the value of the whisky to the UK treasury in tomato distillery alone was sufficient more than to dual the A9 at that time. That indicates the enormous value of the whisky industry to Scotland and all over the country we see manifestations of that. I want to just start off by declaring a potential interest which I purchased two casks for private consumption and gifting, not for commercial sale. That is illegal in the terms of the contracts I have with the Isle of Harris and another distillery. I wanted to focus today on a very serious issue of which I've given the minister notice and that is the alarming growth in fraud in the sale of whisky casks. In that respect I'm indebted to the serious work done by a number of individuals who are just named now in case I forget later but Blair Bowman a very well known writer and consultant Vicky Bruce who has produced an excellent white paper setting out the risks and the solution. Just yesterday Mark Littler and Philippe Schreiberg who wrote in the Scotsman of ProtectYourCast.com an educational tool The fraud I'm afraid is growing and it's a serious problem and there's red flags all over the place. Some examples in 211-2000 investors paid £4 million for casks which were non-existent. In April last year the FBI arrested a UK man for a scam of £10.3 million. Some returns are promised by a lot of companies notionally based in London but actually registered in countries where it would be impossible to seek redress tax havens and so on. Promising returns are 582 per cent over 10 years 95.5 per cent bonds guaranteed per annum. If it's too good to be true it isn't true. These are scam merchants. I'm not going to name any individuals I've got the names, Blair has tracked them and it's a very serious matter indeed. There are many pitfalls I've just given a few more colourful examples. Many of those who were involved in the Australian Wine Index fraud back in 2000 where 8,700 people lost £87 million have moved on to this whisky business. What is to be done about it and who should do it? Blair and others have been trying to persuade the Scotch whisky Association to take it on. I have a great admiration for the work that the SWA does but they haven't as yet. I think it might be helpful if they did because the UK Government, the HMRC financial conduct authority, advertising standards 30 all say it's somebody else's problem. I think there's a real opportunity for the Scottish Government although we don't have consumer protection powers, I'm sorry I haven't got the time to intervene here because I think really with the initiative and this is why I informed the minister of this the initiative of the Scottish Government pushing for a solution to this would give it the impetus that it needs because solutions have been suggested Vicky Bruce has suggested a DVLA type register of casks where you could readily find out who's owned it what its contents are, where it is and so on and so forth the paperwork, the history she suggested that register others have suggested other things and that SWA have done good work but they could do more so the risk is that unless this is dealt with and there is a very serious scandal this could seriously damage the reputation of Scotch whisky worldwide and that is something that none of us would want so I wanted just to use the brief time to try to compress the importance of action be taken and I do hope that the minister in his closing remarks will set out whether he sees that there is a role for the Scottish Government to take the lead and do something that would be of huge potential value to the Scottish whisky industry Thank you Mr Hewing I now call Tim Eagle to be followed by Marie McNair Mr Eagle I'd also like to congratulate Ivan McKee on securing this debate on what is a very important issue for Scotland and let's not forget that a lot of these distilleries are in rural communities and providing very important jobs to the area It is easy in a debate like this to focus purely on the facts and figures, important as they are and especially when you consider how much the Scottish whisky industry contributes to the region that I represent but also to Scotland and the UK as a whole but we must also recognise that Scotch whisky is an important part of our culture and our identity as a nation it is woven into Scotland's fabric and different parts of Scotland are renowned for their unique perspectives on whisky and we've seen that here today whether that is Isla and its famous petered whiskies through to Spacide with its mix of delicate and honeyed whiskies and its fruitier varieties as a result of the use of sherry cask paturation Countries around the world value Scotch whisky which is evidenced by the fact that the Scotch whisky Association's most recent economic impact assessment report showed exports have increased by 31% between 2018 and 2022 to a record 6.2 billion that is a massive figure and the sector isn't standing still it continues to reinvest in its sites and we are seeing new distilleries open and new whiskies released I want to focus on a couple of examples and it is difficult when you represent the Highlands and Islands to do that because we've got so many but if I may I'm going to pull out the Isle of Harris distillery producing its famous sugar kelp gin since 2015 it is wonderful I bought some last year where I was on holiday there you should try it if you haven't already and it's recently released its first batch of its whisky the Heroc as well the founders of the Isle of Harris distillery set out to create sustainable local jobs given that the population of the Isle of Harris has declined by over 50% in the last 50 years it started with 10 permanent employees around 50 permanent employees and its distilleries has become a top tourist destination in the Outer Hebrides attracting more visitors to Talbot as well as more widely around Lewis and Harris we also have more established distilleries such as Brooklady on Isle which have got a place of strong focus on driving towards net zero it has redesigned its famous classic laddie bottle to allow for 19% more glass per pallet into the distillery and 60% more product per pallet out resulting in a reduction of 65% of CO2 in its packaging that shows a commitment to net zero the industry has more than shown its flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances but it can only do this when both of Scotland's governments support it that is why I welcome the fact that the Chancellor froze all types of alcohol duty until at least April 2025 and this was also welcomed by the Scottish Whiskey Association but the Scottish government has a role to play in this too and I really do ask them to think about as my colleague Craig Hoy pointed out its plans to restrict advertising on alcohol which I'm aware many in the industry had concerns about including those from hospitality tourism and sports equally the deposit return scheme has also also rightly been delayed until a UK wide rollout is deliverable businesses such as Shivers Brothers who are headquartered in and employ around 1600 people in Scotland have said that diverging from a UK wide approach risks adding considerable cost to businesses and consumers Deputy Presiding Officer Scottish Whiskey is moving from strength to strength and the latest figures point to a sector that is not only growing at home and abroad but one that reinvesting back into sites and into local communities across Scotland there are undoubtedly challenges ahead including the cost of living and rising fuel costs but the industry has shown time and time again that it can adapt and absorb to meet these challenges I wish all of those involved in the sector well for the years ahead and I'll commit to doing all that I can to support them Thank you Mr Eagle I now call Marie McNair to be followed by Martin Whitfield I thank my colleague I have the key MSP for bringing this debate to the chamber and also thank the Scottish Whiskey Association and the whisky companies in my constituency for the helpful briefings they provided ahead of tonight's debate Scottish Whiskey is more than just a drink it is a manifestation of Scotland's rich cultural heritage and commitment to quality production it is full of national pride and delivers for our national and local economies The whisky industry in Scotland in 2022 generated £7.1 billion in GVA supported 66,000 jobs and saw an investment of over £2 billion since 2018 This is a massive investment in our national economy that should be rightly celebrated and I'm proud to represent a constituency which holds the significant Tosian distillery just off the 82 in Clydebank, literally five minutes away from my door and Chivas warehouse in Delmure and I've had the opportunity to visit the Chivas site in Delmure and it's a spirit processing and maturation site containing filling, disgorging and blending facilities and I've got 56 employees there and they're really a combined 700 years experience Legal whisky making started on the banks of the Clyde in 1817 when the Duntoker distillery was built by John Bullock and his grandson co-founded one of the 19th century most famous blending and broken firms Bullock laid It was then bought in 1834 by John Hart and Alexander Filsche who changed its name to Ock and Tosian The Filsche's sold up in 1875 to a local grain merchant and again like so many styles Ockie spent almost a century being passed from one owner to another The distillery was sold to Stanley P Morrison in 1984 before being acquired by Suntory in 1994 beginning a successful era where the whisky won many awards The new visitor centre was built in 2004 and Ock and Tosian remains a very popular Scotch whisky tourist destination Ock and Tosian is the only single malt Scotch whisky that is triple distilled and unusually all the production is for single malt not to make blended Scotch whisky Of course they have a large market in the UK and US but interestingly have a fast growing popularity in Taiwan and Singapore Our whisky industries are also so much more than just whisky producers Ock and Tosian for example do a lot of work in my community This includes on-going support with local Patrick food parcels by donating food and supplies to help their on-going efforts to support them in need but not whisky I don't think They also support other charities within my constituency like Clyde shop mobility and golden friendships to them just a few As times change it's important that our whisky industry moves with us and that our local production is more important than ever and several of the distilleries are on their way to achieve greater decarbonisation and while still subject to planning consent Ock and Tosian high Clyde project run by Mary Benny Euro power would use proven technology to deliver green hydrogen to power the whole distillery That's expected that the project would create up to 130 jobs and in addition to another four to five once in operation Of course while we champion our whisky industries we must do so much to acknowledge the importance of responsible drinking so I'm glad to see that in September 2023 the Scottish Government and the Scottish whisky industry agreed to work together to promote the made to be measured campaign as part of the Government's wider efforts to reduce alcohol misuse in Scotland and likewise that industries in my constituency like Ock and Tosian support this campaign and that their owners beam are founding members of the international lines for responsible drinking so let us all raise a glass to our excellent Scottish whisky industry and the generations of distillers who have dedicated their lives to perfecting the craft and can I thank again Ivan McKee MSP for securing this debate Thank you Before I call the next speaker I would advise members that due to the number of members who wish to speak in this debate I am minded to accept emotion without notice under rule 8.14.3 to extend the debate by up to 30 minutes and I invite Ivan McKee to move a motion without notice Thank you Do members agree to extend the debate this evening? That is agreed to be followed by Stephanie Callahan I am grateful to the chamber to allow the extension of this most important debate and again to thank and congratulate Ivan McKee on obtaining this slot for one of the most important debates that takes place in this chamber because of the importances we have heard about whisky here in Scotland also coming in this part of the debate it allows me to skip the statistics which is always good because it allows me to talk about the importance of the south of Scotland in the whisky industry from the Bladnawch distillery that resumed production in 2017 the Lockley distillery that was commissioned in 2018 the Borders distillery opened in 2018 St Boswell's the next distillery in south Scotland and indeed the Moffat distillery from 2020 and it also allows me to talk about the Anandale distillery that was established in 1836 and reborn in 2014 and of course the great Glenkinshey distillery in my area which started in 1825 and that's important because for so many almost a century Glenkinshey as a product went almost unknown because from 1894 it was of course the John Walker and son's family who turned to regularly purchase virtually all of the product from Glenkinshey to use it as the base in the blend of the world's most popular whisky which is of course John Walker black label the Glenkinshey distillery as we've already heard celebrated 37,000 visitors in 2023 the funding that has led to the redevelopment of it is truly extraordinary and the reason for that is because the product that comes from Glenkinshey charmed because of its lowland single malt backgrounds built from the water around it is such a pleasurable base for as I say the world's most drunk whisky but across the south of Scotland and indeed within East Lothian although it employs only relatively dozens of people the financial import to East Lothian is enormous and when we look at our distilleries we are just seeing one part of the manufacturing process and our distilleries are only employing dozens of people in the product obviously more on the tourist side but as you follow that chain back as we've heard through to the bottling plants where many hundreds of employees have lifelong earnings and one of the things that we need to cherish that we've heard from a number of contributions and I would ask for comment from the minister is the protections that are needed throughout the whole chain manufacturing chain of whisky firstly to protect it product and consideration even down to protecting the glass shaped bottles which would give us some protection but also to the very worrying comments that we heard from Fergus Ewing about the potential and growing fraud in the trading of barrels which is a relatively new element to open up to access from the general public but of course the trading of barrels has gone on for ages the brewery Glankinshire itself is known as the garden distillery partly because of its beautiful location of course but also partly because of the gold award for green tourism that it's received because of the efforts it's made in the sustainability of distillation process and indeed this move forward in the imagination that's been brought by all distilleries in Scotland is to be commended Glankinshire also operates as zero waste to landfill and have worked to have a positive impact on the nature the sustainability and indeed encouraging the pollination and the protection of wildlife in the local area which justifiably gives it the right to be known as the garden distillery the product itself forms one of the four corners of Scotland which as we have already heard is so important within the Diagio brand to the Johnny Walker experience itself but I would like to finish with two comments about the Glankinshire the first in respect I'd like to thank John who has now taken me around the distillery on three occasions and always found something new to tell me about its history but also to talk about one of the members of the staff that I met there who started working in the summers as a young man his first job holiday job welcoming tourists to what was then an entrance that included a bowling pitch but having started to work there decided that he liked the people he worked with and he kept applying for jobs until he moved into the distillery and now he is a highly skilled technician who is able to stay in the village the area of his birth and to raise a family all because of the strength that whisky gives us and it is almost a unique product within Scotland that allows for investment in some of our most vulnerable areas but indeed turns those vulnerable areas with distilleries into tourist attractions but also into manufacturers one of the finest products in the world I'm grateful Deputy Presiding Officer Thank you Mr Whitfield I now call Stephanie Callaghan to be followed by Murdo Fraser and Ms Callaghan Thank you Presiding Officer I thank my colleague Ivan McKee for securing this debate to celebrate Scotland's iconic Scotch whisky industry an internationally renowned success story that's deeply rooted in our Scottish heritage Scottish heritage in communities and I'm proud to be contributing today The very meaning of whisky water of life not only encapsulates those cherished moments when we raise our whisky glasses and cheer Slangivar marking celebrations and milestones in our life but it also serves as a reminder of the authenticity and years of delicate craftsmanship that define our cherished Scotch whisky industry Presiding Officer with over 500 years of production in history Scotch whisky has rightfully claimed its place as the world's foremost internationally traded spirit boasts an exported value over 6 billion in 2023 alone a statistic that is well worth repeating In fact the Scottish whisky Association found on average 43 bottles were exported every single second as we've heard and that means by the time I finish my speech that Ivan McKee if he's keeping a running total can add another 10,000 bottles to that In such a volatile environment this is truly impressive Presiding Officer, although my constituency of Erdingsdon and Bellshill may not be renowned for its prominence in the whisky industry we harbor our own success stories that I'm proud to share or maybe I should say brag about today Take for instance William Grant and Sons the largest independently owned Scotch whisky company originating in the Highlands the company established its state of the art bottling and packaging facilities in Bellshill Strathclyde Country Park business park even marking its 30th anniversary last year it's here that you'll find the iconic Scotch whisky brands such as Glenfiddock the Balvenny Grants and Monkey Shoulder being meticulously bottled this bottling plant boasts significant employment opportunities with around 750 workers based on site Furthermore, William Grant and Sons play a key role in equipping students to be the next generation of leaders in this industry they offer an exceptional 12 week summer internship programme and a three year graduate development programme and I was thrilled to hear about Robin one of the students' experiences in both of those programmes she said, I'm having the most amazing experience and I've been given opportunities to see the difference in the business to students in my constituency who perhaps share a passion for whisky I would highly encourage them to look out for upcoming opportunities at Grant's Bellshill site Presiding Officer, as we've heard today the whisky industry is a cornerstone of Scotland's economy and production in this scale carries a significant responsibility for tackling climate change in fact, the very essence of whisky's is heavily reliant on environmental preservation with factors like her water quality and peat influencing their distinct flavour so it's really encouraging to see the whisky industry committing to decarbonising its operations by 2040 and I would ask the minister if he's able to outline how the Scottish Government is supporting the sector to successfully meet this critical target Presiding Officer, on this journey to decarbonisation in the old initiatives unfold in Central Scotland Falkirk Distillery has partnered with Biotechnology Company Myal Gay to repurpose whisky by-products for animal feed an exemplar of furthering the circular economy on a more local level our Tisnall Spirits PLC opened its masterton bond bottling plant in Uddingston in March last year and this facility has eliminated the group's responsibility as a result that substantially reduced the road miles and their carbon footprint Witnessing local initiatives play a pivotal role in the industry's journey to decarbonisation and it really is immensely gratifying and certainly worth celebrating Closing Presiding Officer I continue to be struck by the resilience and innovation demonstrated by our whisky industry It is simply impossible to overstate the profound impact this industry has on our economy, employment and our overall growth and I truly believe that there are absolutely no limits on what our whisky sector can achieve After all, who doesn't like a wee drap? I should start this short contribution by declaring my interest as a co-convener of the cross-party group on Scottish whisky in this Parliament and also if members are interested enough to read my register of interests they will find out that last August I was along with other members of the cross-party group Gordon MacDonald and Colin Smyth the recipient of Scottish whisky association hospitality on a trip to the island of Islay This is what is best described as an important fact finding mission and members of the cross-party group take our responsibilities on behalf of the wider Parliament extremely seriously and therefore we devoted a lot of time and attention to those two days that we spent on Islay and for those members who raised the topic of responsible drinking that took place was indeed responsible at least on my part I can't speak for the others who were there We've heard a lot on this debate about the success story and the growth of Scottish whisky exports topped £5.6 billion in 2023 Scottish whisky now represents 77% of Scottish food and drink exports 26% of UK food and drink exports and 22% of all UK exports of considerable value both to Scotland and the wider UK economy One of the interesting developments we're seeing is the opportunity to open new markets for whisky and I know the Scottish Whisky Association who do such important work representing the industry have a team continually working on trying to reduce tariff barriers and allowing access to whisky and in particular are focused on India which is a great opportunity there are 1 billion people in India it is a country with a very dynamic and growing economy and expanding middle class people have a lot of money to spend and whisky is seen as a premium and very attractive product but one which currently suffers from very high tariff barriers and therefore if there is an opportunity for the UK to do a trade deal with India the benefit of the whisky industry and Scotland more generally and I know that this is something that the UK Government has been working to try and develop and we should encourage them in their efforts The other development we've seen in recent years which is very encouraging has been the opening of a large number of new distilleries to MIGO referred to this in his contribution as did others and some of us might remember who are old enough going back to the 70s and 80s there was a trend of distilleries closing and being mothballed and it's very encouraging to see how that has now been reversed and it's in my own region in Mid Scotland and Fife I can give a couple of examples Lindore's Abbey at Nubara a very exciting new development not just a whisky distillery but also a visitor attraction that is bringing people in large numbers to the local area and Eden Mill at Garbridge as part of the new St Andrews University campus producing both gin and whisky and providing a new visitor experience with a shop and cafe and there are many other examples I could give but it is so encouraging to see the growth of these new distilleries in parts of Scotland perhaps that there wasn't a traditional whisky distillery generation outwith areas such as the highlands and the islands but it's good to see other parts of Scotland now benefiting I would just mention briefly the question of progress towards net zero other members have mentioned this the industry is doing tremendous work in reducing carbon emissions there are initiatives at Blair Athod distillery to encourage recycling and at Glengoin distillery in Stirlingshire to preserve water so all these things are a good news story the cross-party group welcomes new members particularly welcomes the opportunity to visit any of these distilleries that we've already discussed so we're open to invitations and I'm sure members will enjoy responsible drinking along with us if the opportunity arises and thanks again to Ivan McKee for giving us the chance to discuss these important matters thank you Mr Fraser and I now call Willie Coffey to be followed by Douglas Ross Mr Coffey thanks to my colleague Ivan McKee for bringing the story of Scotch whisky and its current status as a world-class product can't be told without telling the story of John Walker who set up his grosser shop in Kilmarnock around 1820 with 417 pounds legacy he received from the sale of his father's firm he soon began selling his blended malt Walker's Kilmarnock whisky and as everybody will probably know this led to what has been for many years and still is the number one selling whisky in the world John Walker established in Kilmarnock in 1820 still going strong but sadly no longer in Kilmarnock it was John's son Alec and his son Alexander who basically made the breakthrough with the brand and by 1860 the famous square bottle was introduced and sales of around 100,000 gallons per year were being recorded now look at it over 125 million litre bottles of red label are sold each year making it a clear world leader the revenue for the current custodians the agile is huge and for the UK Treasury probably even bigger but my contribution tonight isn't about money, it's about something else it's about history it's about pride, it's about loyalty it's about recognising and valuing the incredible contribution that a small number of entrepreneurs made and the contribution of a townspeople who made it the success it has become and it's also about the abandonment of all that in the pursuit of profit and the nameless and faceless shareholders whose only goal is even more profit the bottling plant in my town the biggest in the world at one point was unceremoniously shut in 2012 and the whole enterprise thriving in Comarnock for over 190 years was hijacked, lock stock in Barrow taking the 700 jobs too no transition fund then of course for the massive impact this made on local families and the local economy we just got on with it I will never understand why so much value can be placed in continuing to exploit the rich historic origin of something like Johnny Walker's Scotch whisky to tell its story and to provide it with such provenance as a world class product but to sever the link with the living origins of the product is utterly beyond me I'm prepared to bet that the profits reported by Diagio in 2023 of over £4 billion would probably be around the same figure today anyway had they stayed in Comarnock the spiritual home of Johnny Walker the closure was pointless and damaging then and it did nothing positive that I can think of but, Presiding Officer, don't get me wrong I want to see the Walker's brand succeed and to go from strength to strength filling the coffers of the company the Exchequer and whoever else makes their living from this wonderful iconic Scottish product perhaps I still hope in vain that true enlightenment will return and will see loyalty, respect and recognition return to business planning and the corporates of the future to place an economic value in the historic origins of any product to involve local people and to protect and cherish that for the future too often the corporates know the cost of everything but the value of nothing that really matters local people brought this iconic product to life the success of Scotch whisky and Johnny Walker as down to the people who founded it who nurtured it and whose labour brought it to an eager world population to enjoy it the people of Comarnock are still proud of their part in the Johnny Walker story and we'd welcome some semblance of this connection being re-established if at all possible by more enlightened corporates in the present day Johnny Walker still belongs to Comarnock his resting place is there and he still belongs to us and he always will Thank you Mr Coffey, I now call Douglas Ross to be followed by Finlay Carson Mr Ross, thank you very much I'm in the key for securing tonight's debate and I think the level of interest in tonight's debate is a reflection of how important this industry is to Scotland and individual constituencies in regions right across the country I declare an interest as the Member of Parliament for the Murray constituency and given its boundaries are slightly bigger than those of the Scottish Parliament boundaries I can officially say I represent the constituency with more Scotch whisky distilleries than any other in the country and the success of the industry in Murray, in the Highlands and Islands and indeed around the country goes back with great interest and great history to the efforts of individuals throughout many generations and I think every speaker is able to look at people within their own area who have made a massive contribution locally nationally and internationally and on that point I'd like to take this opportunity Deputy Presiding Officer in our Parliament to remember one of those great champions from Murray Ian Urhart who sadly died just last month Ian dedicated his career to the family firm Gordon Macphail he is well remembered for those four decades with Gordon Macphail and the work he did after that with Johnstons Willamill and indeed as a Deputy Lord Lieutenant in Murray and our thoughts are very much with his children Neal and Jenny his wife Nicola and as many family and friends who remember Ian's huge contribution and that's why in 2022 he along with his brother Michael were awarded the CBE for their contribution to the Scotch whisky industry Ian was a recipient of the Quach and indeed a lifetime achievement award from the spirit of Speyside Festival and I would like to as I say put on record I am sure this Parliament's thoughts to Ian's friends and family on their sad loss last month and the whisky industry has as I say a great history in Murray but also more recently new distilleries coming forward so we are this year celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Glenlivet Malen, the Milton Duff distillery in Cardew but we are also at the point where the first distillation in almost 170 years is taking place at the Cabrich distillery and tomorrow night I'll be at an event welcoming the start of distillation in the Cabrich again after many many years and to go to the point that Murdo Fraser and Tamigal and others were making this is taking jobs and investment into communities and that level investment for a very long time so both with the distilleries that are well established over centuries and those who are just getting back up and running again the impact that they have on our local communities is significant and immense we have heard of course the input and the positive nature of whisky tourism and again we in Murray welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to our region every single year looking to visit the distilleries of their favourite brands of whisky and indeed this year is the 25th anniversary of the Spirit of Space Side whisky Festival and I know the chairman George McNeill and his team have got an outstanding programme of events over six days at the beginning of May 650 events over 85 venues in 19 villages which takes people into our area doing more about the whisky industry the heritage of whisky in our part of the country and of course spending money in our local communities that is so important as well another area that we have maybe not touched on much tonight is the raw ingredients of whisky and what a job our farmers do creating that outstanding malting barley to be put into the whisky that in years to come is enjoyed by people across the country and I know many of our farmers in Murray and Islands are right across the country you know they will be worried about sowing at the moment with the wet weather we've been having but their produce is at the start of that journey to create Scotch whisky and is vitally important as well and just finally given the time constraints tonight I think we've also got to look at the investment that we are seeing Members starting with Ivan McKee and others were right to highlight the money raised and the gross value added to the industry from the sales and the export of whisky itself but look at the amount spent in local communities investing in visitor centres I was at the Aberlawer distillery recently to see their plans to both increase production but also to offer a very new visitor experience that I know will be enjoyed by many people coming to the area so once again I congratulate Ivan McKee on securing this debate the interest tonight shows how important the Scotch whisky industry is here in the Scottish Parliament and I commend everyone involved in the industry for their successes Thank you Mr Roth and I call Finlay Carson Thank you everybody I congratulate Ivan McKee on bringing this member's debate to the chamber and I should also declare an interest as a member of the cross-party group indeed I would probably admit that my interest is far more than an interest it's indeed a love for our national table Like many of the speakers who have already spoken I believe it's important that we celebrate the incredible success story that is the Scotch whisky industry we've already heard it contributes more than 7.1 billion to the UK economy and plays a crucial and critical role in Scotland's ambition to grow its export market and in my contribution tonight I'm delighted to highlight two distilleries, my constituency of Galloway and Westam Frees and the part they are playing and contributing to this global sales drive crafted distillery Newton Stewart has made outstanding gains in its establishment seven years ago by Graham Taylor, its founder and owner together with its 12 employees the distillery is looking to release its first single malt Scotch whisky next year in 2025 indeed excuse me I was proud to be a member of the Founders Club where founders helped to refine the signature distilling formula for Billy and Co a new whisky named after the founder or the father of the founder who built the distillery this foundation will allow Graham and his colleagues to create a unique whisky offering a new level of quality aroma and taste in the years to come and such is a confidence surrounding this move that Graham is planning on building a new facility to increase Scotch production by 20 fold so I'm sure that you would all wish him every success many of you will be maybe more familiar with the distilleries offering of its own hills in Harbour Gin 247 Vodka both of which slipped down a treat in the drinking markets and eight different countries around the world including Germany, Italy, Australia, Poland, Canada and China to name but a handful importantly it's also about to be offered to spirit lovers across the United States all of which have resulted in the crafted distillery enjoying a 280% growth in exports last year that resulted in an increase in turnover of 20% providing a major tourist attraction with nearly 20,000 visitors from right across the UK and around the globe taking time out to stop off there quite a remarkable achievement to agree in such a short space of time thankfully it's a similar story a success story today all being given over a longer timescale at Bladnach which is Scotland's most southerly distillery and the oldest independently owned distillery in Scotland it's said that Bladnach has endured somewhat of a checkered pass since it was originally founded in 1817 although now it's enjoying a bold, powerful and exciting revival after being moth-bold and one of many we hear about across the country purchased in 2015 by Australian yogurt entrepreneur David Pryder this man had a real passion for Scott Swishke which was built up over years of sitting on his father's knee as his father enjoyed a Scotch the brand is embarked on a new chapter in history of what is the oldest privately owned distillery now the lowland distillery is sold in almost all of its export markets with Germany, China and the United States all growing at more than 100% in both volume and value and under the leadership of Dr Nick Savage who joined as master distiller in 2019 Bladnach is currently releasing limited editions of Swishke using old cast filled before the moth-balling such is the demand and interest that the distillery has reported a turnover of just over 20 million in addition to the flagship Bladnach single malt the brand also creates Pure Scots which is an award-winning blended Scotch the company has said that the brand has found success in traditional markets but also in developing export markets such as Israel, Nigeria and Indonesia all of this is not going to notice that the brand is now being recognised internationally in 2022 when it received the Queen's Award for Enterprise the numbers passing through excellent visitor centre remains at a record high and provides a welcome abuse to the economy and Newton Stuart it employs 50 people and Bladnach takes great pride in its local origin which is why it uses a marketing line bold Galloway spirit so it's not only promoting the Swishke there is of course a broader point about the importance of Scotch Swiske to rural communities with industry body SEA calculating that some 11,000 people are directly employed by the industry and crucially 7,000 of them in rural communities in fact Scotch Swiske is one of the very few industries that can thrive in remote locations which is very welcome news in my constituency on that note I'll finish and look forward to raising glass Scotch Swiske in the coming days Thank you Mr Carton I now call on Richard Lochhead to respond to the debate minister Thank you Deputy and like others I'd like to start by thanking my colleague Ivan McKee for bringing forward this debate and also offer my thanks to all members for their valuable contributions during the debate as well and of course Ivan is a long standing champion of Scotland's Scotch Swiske sector and I think I've tasted the most of the Whiskies mentioned in chamber today by no means all and I'd also like this opportunity to welcome Tim Eagle formally to Parliament this is my first opportunity to be in the same debate as him and one of the Whiskies I've not tasted or I've not the opportunity perhaps yet the day will come is Isle of Harris and I remember one of my previous ministerial roles once again including Whiske within our food and marketing processing grants scheme I think that was the title it was back in 2013 and we gave a £1.9 million grant towards Isle of Harris and I attended the ceremony to cut the turf so all these years later it's fantastic to hear there's 50 jobs that have been created at that distillery on Harris which is really good news and I clearly welcome the level of interest shown from right across the chamber from all parts of our country people clearly have a lot of love for our iconic world class Whiskey industry it's a global Scottish success story that represents the best of Scotland member may have bottling plants in our constituency or warehouses or distilleries or holliers or other connections with the industry by expect every single member of the Parliament with Whiskey it's an industry that underpins our economy it's a major pillar of our country's reputation for quality and excellence and entrepreneurialism, internationalism a rich culture and heritage and of course many members mentioned heritage I was taken by Willie Coffey's comments about the links and the long standing heritage in terms of the origins of Johnny Walker and I remember buying the book or actually I was gifted the book by Diazio along Stride which was published in 2020 the 200th anniversary of Johnny Walker and that was a fascinating read of that long association with Comaric and indeed the rest of the country and of course it's part of Comaric's story and it's a part of industrial history at the same time people are also a big part of this industry and I'm pleased that Douglas Ross mentioned Ian Urquhart who I was wanting to mention also I worked with and knew Ian Urquhart for many many years his MSP but also as a minister he was involved in the Scotland Food and Drink and of course involved in the family business Gordon Macphail which owns Benomach and the Cairn to the distilleries he was a fantastic ambassador and champion for Scotch whisky and indeed Food and Drink in Scotland overall and I benefited greatly from his wise advice over the years and he'll be sorely missed Ivan McKee said at the beginning that every member claims to have the most distilleries in terms of MSPs I can't fail to mention that as MSP for Murray I do represent the biggest concentration of distilleries in Scotland and also I did ask the SWA recently to calculate the level of production in space site compared to the rest of the country and they estimate up to 60% of Scotch whisky is distilled in space sites I think in response to Kate Forbes' point in terms of volume, value and number of distilleries I think we've got fantastic distilleries the length and breadth of Scotland and I started drinking whisky at university before going out on a Friday evening I would sit down and have a dram with my friends listened to Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd and it was also a fantastic start to the evening and of course since then I've graduated on to Islay whiskeys and Lighter Space Site whiskeys as well and many others from around the country the Scottish Government does recognise and will continue to support the whisky industry at every opportunity and the positive contribution it makes to both the Scottish economy and Scotland's international reputation we've all spoken about the transformation of the industry over the last couple of decades it's been phenomenal to witness to be part of, to support and to see Emma Harper made some really powerful points at the number of women now involved in the whisky industry in Scotland and I think it's quite striking the number of master blenders and other senior members of the industry who are female and that's a great step forward for the whisky industry and I'm glad she raised that issue as well. Another trend has been the trade in casks privately as Martin Whitfield said and others traditionally since the start of the whisky industry distilleries have traded casks between themselves but the private trading of casks is a relatively recent trend given the increasing value of whisky particularly from some distilleries and I think Fergus Ewing does raise an important issue and I thank him for raising that issue I thank him for giving me some prior notice that he's going to raise the issue of maintaining the authenticity and the providence of casks that are privately traded and I pay tribute to Blair Bowman and others who've also raised this issue The Scottish Whisky Association's view of course is that this represents a very small part of the whisky industry but it is of course an important issue that Fergus Ewing raises and given today's technology I would hope there's something we can do about that but I'd be happy to discuss further those issues with the Scottish Whisky Association in due course because that raises some important points Also the Scottish Whisky Association as the industry representation body does take its responsibilities very seriously in terms of protecting the industry both in terms of authenticity but also takes its responsibility to societies a whole very seriously as well and Ivan McKee and Keith Brown others mentioned the good work that the industry undertakes to promote responsible drinking and the industry works with Government to share the for instance re-measured campaign and to also fund initiatives to tackle underage drinking in partnership with the community alcohol partnerships across the country as well so there is a lot of good work taking place in that agenda as well This is also an industry as I said before that has grown significantly in recent years attracts many people from around the world to our shores including particularly of course to our more rural and island communities The 2022 whisky tourism figures are a real indication of the industry's growing appeal and its role in our tourism sector The tourism hospitality sector benefits hugely from whisky creating jobs as many members have said enabling visitors and residents to experience the incredible offer we have here in Scotland So achieving over 2 million visits to Scotch whisky visitor centres demonstrates the successful efforts made by the sector as well as that allure of world class and award winning Scotch whisky visitor attractions and as others have said of course we want to rattle through too many statistics but Scotch whisky exports in 2023 were over £5.6 billion so that success also continues towards Scotland's fantastic exports record It's testament to everyone who works in the sector from distillers to mollsters to visitor centre staff right across the supply chains everyone involved deserves our tribute today for the role they're playing in that success and finally I think I should mention the decarbonisation of our distilleries in the sector which is another serious commitment from the industry and there's a lot happening in that area we have for instance the situation at Benahabent distillery to give one example in Eila I'm reading here in the report from SWA that they invests £6.5 million in a Ubiomass facility to save more than 3,500 tonnes of CO2 per year Other members mentioned Carbon Capture Scotland Finlay Carson mentioned them I've met that company and heard about the good work they're doing to decarbonise distilleries in Scotland as well and of course SHIVIS are undertaking a massive investment across our distilleries in my constituency and across the country to achieve their very very ambitious net zero targets as well Stephanie Callaghan did ask what's the Scottish Government doing to support that agenda We do have the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund that was a £34 million fund over five years and there have been six distilleries who have received matched funding for their decarbonisation plans from that fund alone so there's Scottish Government support for a number of distilleries in Scotland to support that agenda and just before I close I should say of course in terms of my own interaction with the UK Government to pick up on Murdo Fraser's point I discussed trade negotiations and how the trade deals are progressing and whisky is always Scotland's number one priority in those discussions and of course we've highlighted the importance of reducing that 150% tariff that applies to Scottish whisky in India if we can tackle that in the coming years that will be a major major breakthrough for Scotland even a tiny percentage increase in sales in India would be massive for the Scottish whisky industry in Scotland so that would be very valuable and we urge the UK Government and continually urge them to do all they can to make a successful conclusion there's a lot of exciting things happening in the whisky industry it's really exciting to see I was in Falkirk last week I passed the new Rosebank Distillery it's not open yet, it's opening on 4 June it looks spectacular and we're all seeing these investments right across our constituencies and across Scotland so tonight is a great opportunity to raise a glass to the success of Scotland's Scotch whisky industry a global success story Minister that concludes the debate and I close this meeting