Pulling on an extra sweater, half filling the kettle to make a cup of tea and religiously turning off the lights are just some of the adjustments we find ourselves making in the face of spiralling energy costs and global warming. With the government’s Energy Price Guarantee Scheme becoming less generous, an ending to the energy bills support scheme for households, and the introduction of the new Energy Discount Schemes for Business (EDSB), we may well collectively take a sharp intake of breath at the thought of even higher energy pricing to come.

On a recent car journey, I heard a news item about farmers choosing not to sow seeds as they can’t guarantee workers will be available to harvest crops. You reap what you sow and the consequences of this possible inaction in Scotland, when over 70% of its land area is under agricultural management, is a concern.

Scotland is particularly proud of its food and drinks industry - it has a larder full of speciality products and global brands. Accounting for one in five manufacturing jobs and contributing to over 13% of exports, the industry is also a major contributor to Scotland’s economy and a key growth sector.