Forum Brief: Food Standards Agency

Britain's food watchdog has failed to give a lead on standards, MPs have said.

The Commons public accounts committee said relations with the Food Standards Agency and government departments "lacked clarity". They warned of a risk that decisions on key issues would not be taken quickly enough

A spokesman for the Department of Health told ePolitix.com: "Although the FSA is a government agency, it works at arm's length from government because it's independent and doesn't report to a specific minister.

"But that's not to say DH isn't working closely with the FSA or there's a lack of clarity.

"For example, we're working together to press the food industry to make reductions in salt content, and on the review of food promotion to children, taking into account issues like labelling, sponsorship and advertising. We also have a concordat that sets out our shared responsibilities for nutrition."

Forum Response: Food Standards Agency

A spokeswoman for the Food Standards Agency told ePolitix.com: "Although public awareness of the agency is now at 76 per cent and public trust in the FSA has increased, we recognise that there is still a lot more that we need to do to and we will draw on the report as we develop our work."