UK: Food Standards Agency Proposed

The Queen’s Speech on 14 May has clarified that the Government favours the removal of food safety and health protection responsibilities from the Ministry of Agriculture and the collection of all aspects of food standards “from plough to plate” into a new statutory agency, to be called the Food and Health Commission. The Government has pledged to consult widely on the recommendations. Drafted by Professor Philip James of the Rowett Institute, the proposals would appear to constitute a landmark in public interest group action in the UK over food standards. The report states that advertising has not been considered in the first instance, but may well be covered at a later stage. The UK Advertising Association reluctantly believes that advertising will soon become an issue in this debate.