I must start by offering an apology to the chamber, the Presiding Officer and the minister, as I need to leave before the conclusion of the debate. I have, of course, secured the Presiding Officer’s permission to do so.

I thank Ivan McKee for securing this members’ business debate on Scotland’s iconic Scotch whisky industry and for allowing us all to brag about our constituencies. The industry’s impact on Scotland’s economy, our culture and our communities is truly incredible. Few enterprises are so distinctly rooted in local communities that they give back in such an enormous way. I speak of that from experience, because—yes, here it comes—in my constituency, the Loch Lomond distillery and Chivas are two of the most significant employers in the local area.

The Loch Lomond distillery is one of only four in Scotland to have its own on-site cooperage and four-year training programme. Thanks to the Scotch whisky industry, across Scotland there are now more than 300 skilled coopers who are trained in the craft of repairing and rebuilding whisky barrels. I cannot mention the Loch Lomond distillery without exercising my constituency bragging rights, as the Whisky Exchange chose Loch Lomond’s 18-year-old malt as its whisky of the year for 2024. I will bring in samples for those colleagues who wish them.

I am also immensely proud that the Chivas bottling plant is in my constituency. Its contribution to the local and Scottish economies is huge, and it has a very positive relationship with the local community in Dumbarton. Chivas Brothers is best known for Chivas Regal and for one of the world’s best-selling Scotch whiskies, Ballantine’s blended scotch. It also has gin and various other spirits for those who like them. Chivas Brothers has a track record of expansion in my constituency, and its continued employment of local people—increasingly now on permanent contracts—is a real vote of confidence in our area. Towards the end of last year, Chivas Brothers proposed plans to invest in the expansion of the Kilmalid bottling site to improve site safety, protect community walkways and ensure easy access around the site for Dumbarton residents. That is on top of a £60 million development in the form of a new state-of-the-art bottling hall, which I commend to those who have not already seen it. That development cements the company’s commitment to the local economy, which will benefit us all for decades to come.

If the Scotch whisky industry is to thrive, though, it will need our support. It needs safe, efficient, reliable infrastructure networks to ensure the sustainable movement of workers, goods and visitors. For example, that means that the Scottish Government must take the action that is required to ensure that the ferry network is fit for purpose, given the number of distilleries that are on our islands. It should also support the industry by taking steps to dual the A9 and the A96 and, in my constituency, to make crucial 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. Local residents and businesses need decisive action and answers about what will happen to that much-needed project. As we have already heard, there are 41,000 Scotch whisky jobs across Scotland, many of which are in rural communities. Getting the infrastructure right is therefore crucial.

Scotch whisky is our number 1 export. From Dumbarton to Dalwhinnie, and from Skye to Stirling, our 140 distilleries put Scotland on the map around the world. This is, indeed, brand Scotland, so we have to properly support the industry and its employees if it is to continue to thrive globally and at home. It is not enough for us just to celebrate it. The Scottish Government must support the housing, training and community infrastructure that the industry needs to then support sustainable growth for the long term. Only then will Scotland’s iconic Scotch whisky sector continue to grow and thrive as we would want it to do, and as the economic and cultural asset that we know that it is.