Brexit: Food Standards Regulations

Countess of Mar Excerpts

Tuesday 4th September 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

I should like to clarify that, in the case of food safety, Ministers in the Department of Health would make risk management decisions on the basis of a risk assessment. This is one way in which any concerns about conflict of interest would be overcome. Clearly, we will be making technical changes to the role of the FSA to make sure that the regime is operable following our exit from the European Union. These will reaffirm the FSA’s independence and its role in providing that consumer protection.

[The Countess of Mar (CB)]

Will the noble Lord assure the House that there will be sufficient funding for the Food Standards Agency and for local authority environmental health officers—who act as its agents—to check that the law is being observed and, where it is not, to enforce it?

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

I can tell the noble Baroness that we will do everything necessary to make sure we maintain the same high standards of protection that we have now.