HC Deb 23 October 2002 vol 391 cc399-400W
Mr. Gummer

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions have been given to the Food Standards Agency in relation to its support of local councils responsible for the testing of imported food of non-animal origin. [75920]

Ms Blears

I am advised by the Food Standards Agency, which is responsible for issues of food safety, that the Agency's Board has directed the Agency to take forward a ten point plan aimed at improving the co-ordination of enforcement actions and the effectiveness of inspection of imports. The aims of the measures being taken forward include assisting the work of the local food authorities responsible for inspecting imports of products of non-animal origin in the enforcement of such controls.

The Agency will be working closely with the local food authorities to ensure that their views are taken into account in developing the United Kingdom's position for imminent European Union negotiations on a proposed regulation for feed and food controls which will include rules on import controls for products of non-animal origin