The Minister of State, Department of Health (Gillian
Merron): The Board of the Food Standards Agency (FSA)
has decided to dissolve the executive agency status of the Meat
Hygiene Service (MHS) and to bring its staff and functions into
the FSA to form the core of a new FSA Operations Group.
The MHS is an executive agency of the FSA and is responsible for
verifying that operators of approved abattoirs, cutting plants
and game handling establishments in Great Britain fulfil their
responsibilities for the production of safe meat and the
protection of animal health and welfare.
All of the FSA’s operational delivery functions, including those
of the MHS, will be merged together in a single Operations Group
to derive a wide range of benefits, including:
a consistent, strategic view of the enforcement of legislation
relating to all Food Business Operators, irrespective of whether
enforcement is undertaken by local or central Government;
a structure capable of better strategic delivery against external
expectations and drivers—for example recommendations of the 2009
Report of the Public Inquiry into the September 2005 outbreak of
E.coli 0157 in South Wales and recommendations of EU Food and
Veterinary Office Missions;
a more cohesive understanding of education and enforcement
interventions that work in increasing Food Business Operator
compliance with food hygiene regulations; and
co-ordinated and consistent support to UK businesses in relation
to compliance with official controls and other statutory
requirements.
Health and Rural Affairs Ministers in England and Wales have
indicated their support for the FSA Board’s decision—Ministers in
Scotland noted the decision. In line with the process set out in
Cabinet Office guidance, formal approval to dissolution of the
executive agency status of the MHS has been granted by the Chief
Secretary to the Treasury and the Minister for the Cabinet
Office. The MHS will be merged into the FSA on 1 April 2010.
The dissolution of the MHS will not create a risk to public
health and animal health and welfare. All existing regulatory
functions undertaken by MHS operational staff in approved meat
premises will continue to be undertaken by the same staff in the
same way post-merger. Creation of the FSA Operations Group will
increase the effectiveness of the FSA as a regulator in the
longer-term and reduce risk. Savings of approximately £2 million
will be generated through the merger.
