§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to ensure the presence of scientific experience on the Governing Council of the Food Standards Agency. [68918]
§ Mr. RookerThe members of the Agency will be appointed to bring together a reasonable balance of relevant skills and experience. Candidates will be selected for their ability to contribute effectively to that balance and for their personal qualities. We envisage that it will be essential for some members to have relevant scientific experience.
§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that the Food Standards Agency has sufficient funds for scientific research. [68824]
§ Mr. RookerBudgets for food safety and standards research currently funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and relevant research funded by other Departments, including the Department of Health, will be transferred to the Agency at the outset. It will be for the Agency to decide priorities for expenditure within the overall funds available to it.
§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to monitor the competence of the inspectorate attached to the Food Standards Agency and the adequacy of its staff resources. [68925]
§ Mr. RookerThe Agency will have direct responsibility for meat hygiene inspection through the Meat Hygiene Service (which will be a separate executive arm of the proposed Agency), and for dairy hygiene inspections carried out by the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency. Other food hygiene inspections will continue to be the responsibility of local authorities. The draft Food Standards Bill provides powers for the Agency to monitor the performance of enforcement activities, including its own enforcement authorities, and to report on its conclusions. In monitoring enforcement performance, the Agency would be expected to have regard to the adequacy of the relevant staff resources.