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Safefood/Food Standards Agency

Answer

Section 34 of the Food Standards Act 1999, which established the Food Standards Agency (FSA), states that the FSA must take account of, and consult with, the Food Safety Promotion Board (FSPB)—also known as safefood—in carrying out its activities.There has been significant contact between the FSA Board, particularly through the Northern Ireland member on that body, and the FSPB. In the current year, the Northern Ireland member has met with the chair of the FSPB Advisory Board, and addressed a formal meeting of the FSPB governing body. The FSPB chief executive has also made a presentation on relationships between his organisation and the FSA at a meeting of the Nl Food Advisory Committee, which is chaired by the FSA's Northern Ireland Board member.At official level, a concordat has been established between the FSA and FSPB to guide working relations. Two formal meetings of senior management teams from both organisations have taken place, with the next meeting planned for March 2006,Practical examples of both organisations working together in the past year include: the Director of FSA Nl Chairs an All Island Nutrition Forum—the Secretariat is provided by the FSPB; representation from FSA Nl on the FSPB's Consumer Focused Review; a jointly resourced stand at the Balmoral Show; jointly co-ordinated and sponsored National Food Safety Week initiatives in Northern Ireland; a jointly organised and resourced seminar in Dublin, on the subject of salt consumption. Both organisations continue to explore how they jointly carry out their work in an effective and efficient way, and this scope for review is enshrined in the UK legislation and in the concordat between the FSA and FSPB. The relationship between both bodies continues to develop and this can only further enhance the effectiveness of their joint work and ensure cost efficiencies for the taxpayer. A good example of this are plans in 2007 for FSA to carry out a major UK-wide survey on food consumption, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, which will for the first time include a sample for Northern Ireland. The costs of the sample for Northern Ireland are high, and could not be met out of the current FSA NI budget. The FSPB has agreed to make a significant financial contribution to facilitate the survey.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

28463; 439 c1197-8W;439 c1197-8W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland Safefood

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk