The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK has opened a consultation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland seeking stakeholders’ views on proposed changes to the Food Law Code of Practice (the Code) and the Practice Guidance (PG).

This consultation seeks stakeholder’s views on proposed changes to the Food Law Code of Practice and Practice Guidance.

Key proposals include:

1. an updated risk-based approach to the prioritisation and timescales for undertaking initial food hygiene official controls of new food establishments
2. enabling, in certain circumstances, an establishments food hygiene intervention risk rating to be amended following a wider range of official control methods and techniques, including those undertaken remotely
3. extending the activities that officers, who do not hold an ‘appropriate qualification’ for food hygiene or food standards, can, if competent, undertake
4. a clarification in approach to interventions at food business establishments that fall into risk category E for food hygiene
5. removal of a prescriptive number of hours required for continuing professional development
6. other amendments which do not amend policy, to provide clarity and improve consistency and keep pace with current practices

You can respond to the consultation in England here.

You can respond to the consultation in Northern Ireland here.

You can respond to the consultation in Wales here.