Food Law News - UK - 2008


FSA News Item, 21 August 2008

ENFORCEMENT - Code of practice for Northern Ireland updated

The Food Law Code of Practice for Northern Ireland has been updated. The new version of the code is now available.

The Code of Practice sets out instructions and criteria that district councils should have regard to when engaged in the enforcement of food law. District councils must follow and implement the provisions of the code. The associated Practice Guidance gives advice to enforcement officers on how best to apply the provisions laid down within the code.

The code has been revised following the consultation that took place in 2007. The Agency has, where appropriate, reflected the comments received in the revised code.

The Agency has also written to all Northern Ireland District Councils to alert them to changes in the code. This letter outlines changes made in the revision of the code.

The Food Law Practice Guidance is in the process of being updated and the revised document will be published in due course.

The revised Food Law Code of Practice for England was published in June 2008and parallel versions will be published in Scotland and Wales in due course.

 

The following information is also given on the FSA website:

Code of Practice for Northern Ireland

The Food Law Code of Practice and associated Practice Guidance for Northern Ireland is available.

The most recent version of the Food Law Code of Practice for Northern Ireland, version August 2008, has now been published and can be found at the link below. The Practice Guidance for Northern Ireland, version June 2006, can also be accessed at the link below.

The Code of Practice sets out instructions and criteria that district councils should have regard to when engaged in the enforcement of food law. District councils must follow and implement the provisions of the code. The Practice Guidance gives advice to enforcement officers on how best to apply the provisions laid down within the code.

The Code of Practice for Northern Ireland has been revised to reflect the principles of better regulation and to reduce the administrative burdens on business and on district councils, while maintaining standards of public health and consumer protection. A significant change to the Code includes the introduction of interventions to provide a more flexible approach to food law enforcement. The aim of this change is to ensure that resources are directed at those food businesses that present the greatest risk to public health and consumer protection. A summary of the main changes to the Code can be found in the letter sent to district councils in Northern Ireland.

There are separate but parallel Codes of Practice and Practice Guidance for England, Scotland and Wales.

Copies of the following are provided on this site:


To go to main Foodlaw-Reading Index page, click here.