UK: Labour To Create Food Agency

UK Labour Party leader Tony Blair has pledged to create an independent Food Standards Agency if Labour wins the next General Election (which must take place within the next seven weeks). Professor Philip James, a prominent critic of the food industry, has been asked to draw up a blueprint for the work the agency would do when established. Blair said that the Agency would report to the Health and Agriculture ministries and would “seek a new relationship of trust between the food industry and consumers”. The Agency would be responsible for all aspects of consumer protection, food monitoring and research, new foods and new processes, dietary and nutritional matters, as well as public information and education.