Letter: Triumph of taste

IN THE report, "Send the tourism quangos packing" (1 June), and in your comment piece, Scotland Food & Drink was incorrectly described as a tourism quango.

Scotland Food & Drink is a private sector membership organisation set up by the food and drink industry to work for the industry. We are neither a quango nor focused on tourism.

Our members represent the entire food and drink sector and all pay membership fees. In return they are involved in our strategic work and are eligible to receive member benefits.

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Our primary focus is on growing the Scottish food and drink industry to 12.5 billion and to generate an international reputation for Scotland.

We welcomed working with Event Scotland and VisitScotland during the Scottish Government's Year of Food and Drink and look forward to continuing this positive relationship and an enhanced focus on food and drink as we work towards major world events coming to Scotland in 2014 (Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games).

However, as a food and drink industry membership organisation, we will certainly not be merging with either.

Paul McLaughlin

Scotland Food and Drink

The Royal Highland Centre

Edinburgh