FSA News Item (2005/0582), 23 May 2005

ENFORCEMENT - Food Standards Agency provides £10 million for local authorities to promote new food safety initiative

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced a £10 million support package for local authorities in England to promote its new initiative to improve food safety standards and further protect public health.

The money, to be spent over three years, will provide local authority enforcement officers with support and resources so they can assist catering businesses to implement the FSA's new 'Safer food, better business'. This is a simplified food safety management system, which will help catering businesses comply with new food safety legislation. Local authorities are being invited to apply for funding, which will be allocated by the FSA through a grant scheme.

The new legislation will require all food businesses to put in place food safety management systems based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) principles. The primary focus of 'Safer food, better business' will be on small catering businesses.

Tom Murray, Head of Food Hygiene Implementation Division at the Agency said:

'The FSA is putting up a substantial sum of money so that local authorities can assist small businesses to get to grips with this new approach. We feel that the new practical guidance we are developing for small caterers and the funding for local authorities will help simplify food safety for industry and improve standards for consumers.'

The following additional notes are provided:

• 'Safer food, better business' is a new approach to food safety management which offers simple, easy to use, practical guidance for catering businesses. It provides factsheets, which a manager adapts for their own establishment to enable them to tackle any hazards in their food preparation or handling process. A simple diary is used to provide appropriate record keeping. The approach has been developed to allow businesses to manage food safety and protect consumers whilst at the same time removing current burdens on the businesses.
• 'Safer food, better business' has been developed by the FSA in close partnership with Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) and industry stakeholders who will remain involved as the initiative progresses.
• There are similar schemes already operating in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland .
• Local authority personnel wanting further information or to discuss possible projects or the application process, should contact Andy Greaves at the FSA on 020 7276 8127 or James Saunders on 020 7276 8418.