In our efforts to achieve improvements in food safety and standards, the CIEH works with a wide range of organisations. Working groups may be convened on an occasional basis around a particular topic, or may be established to meet on a regular basis.
A number of groups in which the CIEH is involved are listed below with, where available, links to further information.
Food Standards Agency (FSA) working groups
Enforcement Liaison GroupTh
is group was set up to develop links between a wide range of food safety stakeholders. It includes representatives from the FSA, LACORS, CIEH, Trading Standards Institute, the Association of Public Analysts, local authorities and key consumer and industry organisations.
Imported Food Project GroupTh
is group aims to co-ordinate improvements in, and support for, imported food enforcement activity in the UK. It contributes to the work plan on activity to deliver the government’s ‘Step Change’ project and aims to develop new approaches. It also assists in evaluating the outcomes of the Step Change project. The group includes representatives from the FSA, HM Revenue & Customs, Defra, Association of Port Health Authorities, LACORS, CIEH, local authorities, sea ports and airports.
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Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) groups
- Food Policy Forum
The Food Policy Forum acts as an advisory body to LACORS. It proposes future strategy and assists in identifying priorities in food policy matters, including enforcement. It contributes to the LACORS business plan and provides a means of focusing LACORS on key food policy issues for local authorities.illness.
- Food Hygiene Focus Group
The Food Hygiene Focus Group provides technical and operational policy support to the LACORS secretariat by helping co-ordinate enforcement and good practice and providing specialist and expert advice.
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Industry-led groups
- People 1st
People 1st is a Sector Skills Council (SSC) licensed by government. It is the employer-led organisation at the heart of the skills agenda in the UK for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries. CIEH is represented on its Professional Bodies forum, which discusses industry training needs and reports to the SSC’s Board.
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Non-governmental organisation (NGO) groups
SustainSustain:
The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture, and promote equity. It represents over 100 national public interest organisations working at international, national, regional and local level.
- Foodaware
Foodaware: the Consumers’ Food Group, has been set up to co-ordinate the broad UK consumer movement’s work on food safety, nutrition and standards. Its mission is to give UK consumers a strong voice on food policy by bringing together the organisations that represent them. It consults and supports the UK consumer representatives on food-related committees, and furthers the public understanding of science.
- Which?
Which? is a consumer organisation that exists to tackle the issues that matter to all consumers. The CIEH has worked in partnership with Which? on policies related to Scores on the Doors.
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European groups
- Food Law Enforcement Practitioners
The FLEP forum is an informal grouping of European food law enforcement practitioners. The aims include acquaintance, exchange of information and co-operation between European colleagues to develop confidence and trust in the resolution of practical control problems. It is supported by the Heads of the Food Safety Authorities of the EU Member States. The CIEH provides the secretariat to the group.
- European Public Health Alliance (EHPA)
The EPHA represents around 100 non-governmental and not-for-profit organisations working in support of health in Europe. Thirty-five EPHA members are pan-European or international networks. The EPHA aims to promote and protect the health interests of all people living in Europe, and to strengthen the dialogue between the EU institutions, citizens and NGOs in support of healthy public policies.
- The European Food Law Association (EFLA) is an international scientific association that studies and promotes food law, contributing to its development and its international harmonisation
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Other government groups
- Department of Health
Working group on the production of “Evidence based guidelines on the management of infected food handlers”
- Retail Enforcement Pilot Project Group
The Retail Enforcement Pilot was launched in June 2005 and is aimed at reducing the burden of inspection for retail businesses whilst enhancing consumer and worker protection
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