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Scottish Government Website, 13 January 2015
The Food (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament in March 2014. It passed through Stage 3 on 9 December and Royal Assent was granted and lodged on 13 January 2015. Details of the proceedings through Parliament can be found on the website of the Scottish Parliament.
Food (Scotland) Bill
The Bill creates Food Standards Scotland, a new, independent body which will replace the UK-wide Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland. The Bill establishes new food law provisions for the Scottish Ministers:
The decision to create a new body followed changes made at UK level which split up responsibility for food standards and the subsequent recommendations of the Scudamore review (Future arrangements to secure food standards and safety in Scotland) in 2012 which was commissioned by the Scottish Government.
Following the horsemeat food fraud scandal in early 2013, Ministers asked Professor Scudamore to convene another Expert Advisory Group to make recommendations on lessons learned. Many of these recommendations will be taken forward by the new food body.
Food Standards Scotland will now be made a non-ministerial office of the Scottish Administration by Order in February 2015 and will take on its responsibilities formally on 1 April 2015.
For a copy of the Food (Scotland) Act 2015 available on this site, see: Food (Scotland) Act 2015