Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that food businesses adhere to food labelling standards for items (a) containing common allergens and (b) marketed as (i) vegetarian and (ii) vegan.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. All food businesses selling food in the UK must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way. For example, food businesses are under a legal obligation to provide accurate information on the presence of the 14 major allergens in food, so that people who have allergies and intolerances can make safe food choices.
While there are no specific rules covering information on the suitability of food for vegetarians or vegans, the requirement that food information must not mislead consumers applies to such labels as for other voluntary labels.
It is the duty of Local Authorities to enforce food safety and labelling regulations, to help ensure food is safe for people living with a food allergy. The Food Standards Agency have agreements and protocols in place to support local authorities in their work and give guidance to explain the regulations and how they can be applied to food businesses.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent guidance her Department has provided to (a) schools and (b) other educational institutions on food (i) labelling and (ii) allergens.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department provides statutory guidance for schools, ‘Supporting pupils with medical conditions’, which makes clear that schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with allergies and have processes in place to ensure these can be well managed. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-resources-for-schools/allergy-guidance-for-schools.
In early years settings, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework sets the standards that all registered early years providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to age five. The framework is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.
The EYFS states that before a child is admitted to the setting the provider must also obtain information about any special dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies that the child has, and any special health requirements.
The EYFS signposts to the Department of Health and Social Care document ‘Example menus for early years settings in England’ which includes guidance on menu planning, food safety, managing food allergies and reading food labels, which staff preparing food will find helpful in ensuring that children are kept safe. The guidance is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/658870/Early_years_menus_part_1_guidance.pdf.
The ‘Help for early years providers’ online platform, owned by the department, has a food safety page which also signposts to resources on allergies. This page is available at: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/safeguarding-and-welfare/food-safety#allergies. The department is also developing nutrition content for the platform which will have a section on allergies and resources such as a common allergies table.
Higher education (HE) institutions and further education institutions are autonomous and it is the responsibility of individual HE institutions to implement and adhere to relevant guidelines with regards to labelling and allergens.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) promotes its resources including information on allergen labelling and management to all food business operators including schools, nurseries, colleges, and other institutional caterers.
The FSA has published guidance relevant to schools and other educational institutions including sector specific guidance in July 2021 for new allergen labelling legislation which came into force in October 2021. Guidance for institutional caterers (including schools) has been on the FSA website since at least 2017. This has links to training courses offered by allergy charities. In September 2020, the FSA also launched free allergen training which has had over 530,000 users to date, with nearly 75,000 of these being from the education sector.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make it his policy to implement Owen's Law in line with the recommendations of the Food Standards Agency.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food. The United Kingdom maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy.
At the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) December 2023 board meeting, the board agreed a revised policy for provision of allergen information for food businesses selling non-prepacked food, such as coffee shops and restaurants. The new policy sets an expectation for these businesses to provide allergen information in writing as well as having a conversation. The board also agreed their preference would be for written information to be mandatory.
As a non-ministerial department, the FSA cannot make legislation and has written to Ministers in England and Wales, the Executive in Northern Ireland, and Food Standards Scotland for views on these matters.
In the meantime, the FSA will develop guidance to implement this policy and provide support for food businesses on how to provide written allergen information to help drive up compliance and make it easier for people with a food allergy, intolerance or coeliac disease to make safe choices when eating out.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to help improve the (a) clarity and (b) accuracy of allergen information on food labelling.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food. The United Kingdom maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels, so that consumers can have confidence in the food they buy. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is responsible for food safety and food hygiene in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including food allergen labelling.
All food businesses are under a legal obligation to provide information on the presence of the 14 major allergens in food, so that people who have allergies and intolerances are able to make safe food choices. The FSA carries out a range of research to ensure that this information is clear and accurate. It has recently carried out an evaluation of the prepacked for direct sale food labelling requirements introduced in 2021, and updated food labelling technical guidance for businesses following a consultation with consumers and food businesses on the application and understanding of allergen labelling.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she will make an assessment of the adequacy of food labelling for people with allergies.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food. The United Kingdom maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels, so that consumers can have confidence in the food they buy. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is responsible for food safety and food hygiene in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including food allergen labelling.
All food businesses are under a legal obligation to provide information on the presence of the 14 major allergens in food, so that people who have allergies and intolerances are able to make safe food choices. The FSA carries out a range of research to ensure that this information is clear and accurate. It has recently carried out an evaluation of the prepacked for direct sale food labelling requirements introduced in 2021, and updated food labelling technical guidance for businesses following a consultation with consumers and food businesses on the application and understanding of allergen labelling.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to undertake a consultation on the labelling of non-stun slaughter meat.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are no Regulations that require the labelling of non-stun slaughter meat, but where any information of this nature is provided it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer. The Government respects religious freedoms and expects the industry, whether food producer or food outlet, to provide consumers with all the information they need to make informed choices.
As recently announced by the Secretary of State, we will soon be launching a consultation on clearer food labelling. This will include proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling, including options for the production standards behind them. Our proposed standards initially focus on the period of time the animal spends on farm. We will seek views through consultation on these standards, including the period of life which they should cover.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to conduct a review of the current penalties for non-compliance with food labelling regulations.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Food labelling rules are enforced independently by local authorities. When assessing food stuffs for non- compliance, Trading standards officers adhere to an established hierarchy of enforcement actions, ranging from improvements notices to criminal charges resulting in custodial sentences and unlimited fines. There are no current plans to review penalties on general food information law, and these rules, as is standard procedure, are subject to periodic post implementation review.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of 'Not for EU' labelling requirements on small and medium-sized food producers who (a) export to the European Union and (b) sell within the UK.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 1 October 2023, The UK Government introduced The Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme to simplify movements of retail goods from GB to NI. To use the scheme businesses need to apply ‘Not for EU’ labelling to their goods.
As a result, these businesses, including small and medium-sized food producers, benefit from significantly reduced certification requirements.
The Government has also launched the £50m Windsor Framework Transitional Labelling Financial Assistance Scheme to support businesses in adjusting to these changes.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he is taking steps to prevent banks from providing (a) financial and (b) investment support to business which derive income from industrial livestock companies with low animal welfare practices.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK has a world-leading record on animal welfare, and the government has introduced a range of measures to ensure animals receive the care, respect, and protection they deserve. This includes providing grants to farmers towards capital equipment that improves animal welfare and banning the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter. The government has recently announced its intention to consult on proposals to strengthen animal welfare labelling in the food sector.
We are also protecting animals abroad by banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered animals and the advertisement of unacceptable low-welfare animal practices abroad.
The decisions about what products are offered and to whom remain commercial decisions for banks and building societies.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to increase the information provided by food labelling.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As the Secretary of State discussed in his speech at the Oxford Farming conference, we think there is an opportunity to improve transparency for consumers and ensure fairness for producers, so consumers can be fully confident about what they’re buying. We therefore intend to launch a rapid consultation on clearer labelling.
The consultation will explore options for improving method of production labelling and country-of-origin labelling.
It will explore how we can better highlight imports that do not meet UK welfare standards, and, in terms of country-of-origin labelling, look at improving how and where origin information is displayed - including for minimally processed meat, such as bacon and ham - and what products should be in scope.
The exact details of the consultation will be published in due course.