Food Standards Agency survives the axe

Under a shake-up of its operations in England, FSA responsibilities on diet, nutrition and health will be moved to the Department of Health, while its responsibilities on food labelling will cross over to Defra.

The Agency, which was established in 2000 in the wake of the BSE crisis, will retain ‘a clearly defined departmental function’ focused on its core remit of food safety.

It will also maintain its independence from Government as an ‘arms length’ body.

Lord Rooker, FSA chairman, said: “Food safety and hygiene have always been at the heart of what the Agency does. They are our top priorities in protecting the interests of consumers.”

The FSA will retain around 2,000 staff, 70 will move to the Department of Health and 25 will move to Defra.

Caroline Spelman, Defra Secretary, said: “These changes will enable the FSA to focus on food safety and it is right that this should stay in the hands of an independent body.”

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the FSA will retain its current responsibility for nutrition and labelling policy.

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