Food Standards Agency announces the members of its new consumer committee.

The Editor, having applied for one, has been watching with interest to see which lucky people would be appointed to the six vacancies for ordinary people on the FSA Consumer Committee. At the end of January the suspense was over. The FSA announcement came as a disappointment because it would have been an interesting experience, but it was not a surprise. The criteria laid down did not really allow for too much hope.

In its announcement, the FSA explained that the search to find suitable people for the Committee began in September last year when they placed advertisements in the national press to find candidates with a strong interest in food issues who understood the needs of the UK consumer, particularly the consumer from an ethnic minority or on a low income. They received 400 completed applications.

With such a large number of applications they have been able to select six members for the Committee with a very wide range of experience. Between them the candidates, whose ages ranged from their 20s to their early 70s, have worked in areas such as health, catering and housing, and bring with them a real understanding of the needs of consumers across the country. A further six members, representing the six main consumer organisations in the UK, complete the 12-member Committee.

Suzi Leather, Deputy Chair of the Food Standards Agency said of the Committee: "The new Consumer Committee will play an important role in advising the Agency. It consists of people who can genuinely represent the views and interests of the consumer. Getting that direct input will be invaluable".

The new members are: Appointees from open competition:

Marvelle Brown, a nursing lecturer at Thames Valley University;

Alison Childs, freelance events organiser and lecturer on food; 

Ann Frankel, a Tenancy Management Officer for a London-based Housing Association; 

John Godfrey, who belongs to many UK and EU consumer groups with an interest in food policy, 

Isa Khan, a Director of the Bradford based New Deal for Communities Trident Board; and 

Nancy Robson, self-employed food critic and restaurant inspector for Taste of Scotland.

Appointees nominated from Consumer Organisations: 

Sue Dibb, a Senior Policy Officer at the National Consumer Council; 

Jeanette Longfield, the Co-ordinator of Sustain the Alliance for Better Food and Farming; 

Graeme Millar, Chairman of the Scottish Consumer Council; 

Sam Miskelly, Assistant Director of the General Consumer Council of Northern Ireland; 

Mona Patel, a Senior Public Affairs Officer at the Consumers Association.

A nominee from the Welsh Consumer Council will be announced separately.

Some of the above names will be familiar to NCF members who attend FSA and DEFRA meetings from time to time. In particular the name of John Godfrey, a retired academic biologist and member of MAFF's Consumer Panel, stands out among the open competition appointees as it would be difficult to find a food related body with which he has not had a connection. He is a member of the European Commissions Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture and the European Union Advisory Committee on Agricultural Product Health and Safety as well as Vice-Chairman of the Consumers in Europe Group. He advises European Research and Consumer Affairs (ERICA) on science, as one of its Directors, and is also a member of the Consumers Food Group - Foodaware.

What will the new committee do?

According to the FSA it will: 

1. alert the Agency to key issues of current or emerging consumer concern; 
2. comment on the Agency's strategic objectives and forward plan; 
3. provide feedback on the effectiveness of its policies in responding to consumer concerns; 
4. advise on consumer consultation methodologies, including ways of reaching vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups; 
5. review the work of consumer representatives on advisory committees, 
6. facilitate joint-working between the Agency and consumer groups; 
7. offer advice on any other issues that may be referred to it by the Agency.

We await its deliberations with interest and hope that we will be kept informed.

EFSA OK!

UK's Food Standards Agency Welcomes the Creation of the European Food Safety Authority 

In a recent press release the Food Standards Agency welcomed final agreement by the Council of Ministers to setup anew European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The measures introduced, it says, will reinforce existing consumer protection and should help re-establish consumer confidence in the food chain in Europe.

The European Food Safety Authority is an intrinsic part of a more strategic approach

to food safety issues across the European Union. It is encouraging to learn that the UK Food Standards Agency has played a significant role in shaping its development, seeking to ensure that the EFSA is based on values of transparency of process and openness.

The EFSA's primary role will be that of scientific risk assessment - a body at European level giving independent scientific advice. It will need to establish an effective networking system between Member States, to make it easier to pool knowledge and expertise, and help to identify emerging risks before they become a serious food safety problem.

We hope that it learns to act quickly.

As well as introducing the EFSA itself, the regulation also sets out the General Principles and Requirements for Food Law. These include common requirements for food and feeding stuffs, such as traceability, product recall or withdrawal, and notification of unsafe food to competent authorities. In addition, the Food Safety Procedures will streamline emergency action and the existing rapid alert system for the notification of food hazard warnings to Member States. The creation of the EFSA fulfils a key objective in the Commission's White Paper on Food Safety.

So now we have the FSA, the FSA and the European FSA.

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