FSA revises Food Law Code of Practice

The codes provide statutory guidance to local authorities and port health authorities on the approach they should take to regulate food businesses.

The FSA has reviewed and revised the codes to ensure they reflect current priorities, policy, and legislative requirements so that delivery of food control activities by local authorities and port health authorities “remains effective, consistent, and proportionate”.

The key changes include:

• modernisation of the baseline knowledge, skills, and experience requirements to enable a wider cohort of environmental health and trading standards professionals in England and environmental health professionals in Northern Ireland to undertake official food controls and other official activities.
• replacing the existing competency requirements in the codes with a Competency Framework that defines competency by activity rather than by role.
• introducing a provision to enable the FSA to be more responsive in issuing advice, to enable local authorities to depart legitimately from the code, in limited circumstances.

Maria Jennings, director for regulatory compliance, people and Northern Ireland, said: “The revised codes, Practice Guidance and introduction of the Competency Framework will facilitate more effective use of key professionals and will enable individuals with other qualifications to be recruited to undertake specified activities. This will help alleviate the challenges local authorities face in recruiting suitable people to deliver their food service.

“There will be further reviews of the codes over the next few years to implement the FSA’s modernisation programme for reforming the regulatory delivery model to ensure we have a fit-for-purpose and sustainable regime that will protect consumers.”

The Food Standards Agency in Wales is still consulting on the proposed changes. The consultation in Wales closes on 25 March 2021