UK: Food Agency To Have Wide Remit

The UK Government plans to give the proposed new Food Standards Agency (FSA) powers to rule on nutritional issues and become the main source of public advice about nutrition. A white paper on the FSA is expected by the end of the year, with a draft bill being proposed in March or April 1998. The UK Advertising Association is concerned lest this extended remit might result in the FSA being able to restrict food advertising to children. However, the Government has also indicated that mainstream public health policy, and what it calls “wider advice on lifestyle” will be led by the health departments.