HC Deb 17 January 1991 vol 183 cc549-50W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has given to local authorities about the operation of the new food safety regulations which implement the Food Safety Act 1990.

Mr. Gummer

Under section 40 of the Food Safety Act Ministers may issue codes of practice for local authorities on the enforcement of the Act and regulations made under it. Seven codes of practice on a range of enforcement aspects were issued to come into operation on 1 January 1991. Copies of the codes have been placed in the Library of the House. Further codes are in preparation.

Mr. Knapman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the outcome of his examination of the relationship between the new committees on microbiological safety of food and the existing committees in the food area.

Mr. Maclean

Yes. I have concluded a change in the terms of references is required in order to take account of the new committees. Consequently the revised terms of reference for the Food Advisory Committee areTo assess the risk to humans of chemicals which are used or occur in or on food and to advise Ministers on the exercise of powers in the Food Safety Act 1990 relating to the labelling, composition and chemical safety of food. In exercising its functions the Food Advisory Committee will take the advice and work of the Committee on Toxicity and other relevant advisory committees into account.

In addition, the Steering Group for Food Surveillance is to be renamed the Steering Group on Chemical Aspects of Food Surveillance and its revised terms of reference are: to identify through surveillance the need for action to ensure the chemical safety and nutritional adequacy of food".