§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list those organisations that will be invited to launch publicly the future draft codes of practice in respect of food hygiene training;
(2) when he proposes (a) to issue a draft code of practice in relation to food hygiene training and (b) to launch publicly his initiative to industry.
§ Mr. DorrellCodes of practice for enforcement authorities issued under the Food Safety Act 1990 are issued by Ministers after receiving advice from the Implementation Advisory Committee (IAC). The IAC has not yet begun discussions on a code of practice relating to food hygiene training, and is unlikely to do so until policy with regard to training requirements has been determined.
The Food Safety Act 1990 does not contain statutory provisions for the Government to issue codes of practice to industry. Food industry organisations may, of course, choose to produce guidance for the benefit of their own members if they so wish.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance he proposes to give to industry lead bodies in respect of food hygiene training about conflict of interest between income generation from selling training services and their accreditation role in relation to performance-based testing by employers in the workplace;
(2) what advice he has offered food hygiene examination bodies in respect of (a) the content, length and mode of study, (b) testing and recertification and instructor qualifications, experience, refresher courses and recertification in relation to courses under the Food Safety Act 1990;
554W(3) what is his policy on ensuring reciprocity between United Kingdom-based hygiene training certificating bodies and other EC-based testing bodies;
(4) what is his policy towards the achievement of a generic national vocational qualification for the whole food chain or parts thereof, in respect of (a) manager, (b) supervisor and (c) operative levels of certification;
(5) what consultations he has had with hygiene training examination bodies about when they will be in a position to revise their syllabuses and regulations to be consistent with standards specified by regulations arising from the Food Safety Act 1990;
(6) what guidance he has given hygiene training certification bodies in respect of generic competences and performance criteria required for (a) operatives (b) supervisory grades and (c) managers for each sector in respect of the Food Safety Act 1990;
(7) how he intends to monitor and evaluate the work of examination bodies providing mandatory hygiene training certification in relation to the Food Safety Act 1990;
(8) which examination bodies he has consulted in respect of food hygiene certification in relation to the Food Safety Act 1990.
§ Mr. DorrellAt present, there is no requirement for food handlers to achieve specified certificates in food hygiene or for training courses to be approved by certain bodies. The Department of Health's consultation document on the training of food handlers invited comments from interested parties on a number of issues including standards and accreditation. We will be determining our policy in the light of the comments received.