The Food Standards Agency is here to stay

The Government has announced its intention to retain the Food Standards Agency (FSA) with a renewed focus on food safety.

The Department of Health will become responsible for nutrition policy in England, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will become responsible for country of origin labelling and various other types of food labelling not related to food safety, and food composition policies in England.

Lord Rooker, chair of the FSA, said: "Food safety and hygiene have always been at the heart of what the Agency does. They are our top priorities in protecting the interests of consumers."

Welcoming today's decision, Melanie Leech, the Food and Drink Federation's Director General, said: "As the voice of the UK food and drink manufacturing sector, we believe it is important to maintain an independent food safety regulator and fully support today's decision by the Government to retain the Food Standards Agency.

"The FSA has helped to create an environment in which public confidence in the food they eat has grown significantly in recent years and it makes sense to build on that by focusing the Agency's future activities on safety and hygiene issues. We look forward to working closely with our regulator to ensure that we maintain these high levels of consumer trust.

"We also support the decision to move responsibility for nutrition, and other food policy issues, back into Government departments. This should lead to clearer and more consistent policy making, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort across Whitehall."

Which? chief executive, Peter Vicary-Smith added: "The Food Standards Agency has revolutionised the way food issues are handled in UK, so we're pleased today's announcement ensures it can continue to independently monitor food safety.

"Unfortunately, some issues that would be best handled by the FSA have been moved to other departments. With these changes the government must ensure the interests of consumers remain at the heart of food policy."

Words: Maria Bracken

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