§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent to which environmental health officers distinguish clearly between good practice and legal requirements in accordance with the codes issued under section 40 of the Food Safety Act 1990.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe small number of cases which come to the attention of the Department does not enable us to make an assessment of the extent to which environmental health officers distinguish clearly between good practice and legal requirements. Department of Health officials take every opportunity to emphasise the importance of this distinction—through training courses for EHOs, conferences, seminars, and work with the Institution of Environmental Health Officers and the local authorities co-ordinating body on food and trading standards. In addition, the Department wrote, on 6 May, to all chief EHOs in England reminding them of the need to make this distinction. A copy of this letter will be placed in the Library.