NfCG has an exclusive group of Networks that bring together knowledge, expertise and experience on a number of subjects with consumer interest. If you have a specialist interest or experience, why not put it to use?
Over the years, NfCG's Networks have provided information and resource
material for use in many National and local consumer campaigns. Many Group and
Individual Members enjoy keeping up to date and passing on their opinions based
upon their knowledge, expertise and experience, often gained through a lifetime
of involvement.
NfCG is often passed papers and proposals at an early stage in the consultation process, by both government and business, and our members then have opportunity to apply their minds to the contents.
There are several ways in which Network members communicate, by simply discussing the matter with a Network Leader or consumer representative, by preparing a short written report, by giving an opinion at a meeting, or even by appearing on local or National media as a consumer voice. Members decide which they prefer, there being no compulsion or commitment beyond their wishes.
In the near future we shall be arranging for all our Network members to be able to communicate via the Internet - if they so wish, so that they become more conveniently accessible to consumer representatives and each other.
If you are interested please contact Sue Payne on 01285 643 707.
NfCG (Janet Graham, Miriam Dub-Israel and Ken Frere) had a very informative
meeting with Sir John Krebs, Chairman of the Food Standards Agency, and Gillian
Asbury, from the Agency's Labelling, Standards and Consumer Affairs Division.
Sir John accepted that a 'presumption of openness' for access to information about food standards would not be enough. His intention is that the Agency will be as open and transparent as possible. The FSA Board will move its tent around the United Kingdom for its monthly meetings, and discussion on the food policy elements in its agenda will be open to public scrutiny. Each agenda, and executive summaries of its food policy papers, will be published on the Agency's website (www.foodstandards.gov.uk). The first Board meeting was in London on 25th May.
The Agency is also planning public meetings, with the first in Birmingham on 31st May.The aim is for these to respond to consumers' concerns, not simply to make FSA statements. The FSA website is already able to receive suggestions for topics to be discussed, and should be fully inter-active in due course.
There are around 300 'food scares' a year, some very urgent. The Agency will be able to consult at once with a restricted group of interested parties which does not (yet) include NfCG. Where time, and perhaps technology, permits the range of consultees will be widened.
We discussed extension of the Hazard Analysis Control Point licensing regulations beyond 'mixed' retailers (selling both raw and ready-to-eat meats). Training existing licensees has been very expensive and the Agency is not funded to cover training many more retailers. There is a framework agreement with local authorities, and the Agency recognises that where Trading Standards and Environmental Health Officers are employed separately there could be implications for the regulation of food safety. The aim for abattoirs is that there should be a common standard, but in this and other areas there could be a conflict between safety and consumer choice.
Nutrition will be high up on the Agency's agenda, because poor diet affected many more people than food poisoning or BSE. The Agency has limited resources and it will have to use some of them to lever additional help from other bodies. It will have to tread carefully in its dealings with commercial organisations which might be willing to sponsor education and training about the importance of diet. The Agency will of course go hand-in-hand with the Department for Education and Employment and with schools. It had noticed with regret that none of the lottery-supported Education Science Centres concern themselves with dietary issues.
Sir John said that the Agency's Consumer Unit was analysing the benefits of the MAFF consultation processes, and considering ways of increasing their impact on the taking of decisions. We were in no doubt that the Agency will not treat consultation as a formality, or a sticking-plaster, and that anyone invited to take part will need to be knowledgeable and rigorous as well as representative.
There is a new logo on food packages now, the
British Farm Standard. This, I
understand, is to replace the various 'Assured British Meat' and similar
standards and is an attempt to bring them together under one common logo. The
picture is of a very stylised red tractor with black wheels and is certainly
easy to spot.
Contained within this issue is a questionnaire from the Institute of Actuaries. An unlikely body, you might think, to be asking questions about ordinary people and their views on the information available about financial products. Actuaries are not people with whom the general public often comes in contact. It is encouraging, therefore, that they are interested in your opinions. Please do not disappoint them, fill in the form and send it back, no stamp is needed, the Institute will pay the postage, though the reply will, initially, come to NfCG to be sent on to them.
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