APPENDIX 53
Supplementary memorandum by the Food Standards
Agency (OB 116A)
1. Outcome of the Agency event on the promotion
of foods to children—27 January 2004
The Agency event, "Defusing the Diet Time
Bomb" on the promotion of food to children, was held on the
evening of 27 January at the QEII centre in Westminster. Around
450 people attended the event, while a further 400 viewed the
debate online via the Agency's website, and an estimated 1000
watched on digital television.
The event was part of a series of activities
organised by the Agency to promote public debate on the issue
of the promotion of food to children, following the publication
in October of a paper setting out a range of possible policy options
to address the issue.
The purpose of the event on 27 January was to
provide members of the public with an opportunity to debate the
issues publicly with each other and with stakeholders drawn from
consumer organisations, the food and advertising industries, public
health and children's organisations.
Questions from the audience were also put to
a panel of experts. The panel members were: leading nutrition
scientist Dr Susan Jebb; chef and restaurateur Antony Worral Thompson;
Media Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Richard D North;
writer and analyst Richard Reeves; youth activist Kierra Box and
Andrew Brown, Director General of the Advertising Association.
A wider group of experts was also available in the audience to
answer questions and offer their opinions.
The discussion covered a range of topics, including
the relative responsibilities of parents, food manufacturers and
the advertising industry for the increase in childhood obesity.
The outcome of the event, along with views gathered at other stakeholder
events, will be used to inform the Agency's Board discussions
at its public meeting in March.
2. Public Health and the Common Agricultural
Policy
Defra takes the lead within Government on reform
of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The Food Standards Agency
has made its views known to Defra in consultation on CAP issues,
reflecting its view that the food chain needs to be considered
as a whole, from "farm to fork" in order to achieve
sustainable improvements in food safety.
In particular, the Agency has responded to Defra
in consultation on the European Commission's mid-term review of
the CAP welcoming the Commission's overall approach on food safety
(and quality) which referred to it as a "continuous top priority"
for the CAP to guarantee the safety of food to consumers. The
Agency welcomed in principle a number of specific proposals in
relation to this:
— granting of decoupled direct payments
to be made conditional on respecting a number of requirements
on food safety, environmental and other matters, (defined by member
states, but following a common framework).
— establishing a Community-wide system
of farm audit to help farmers manage food safety, environmental
and other standards.
— addition of a "food quality"
chapter to encourage farmers to participate in recognised quality
assurance and certification schemes.
— help for farmers in adapting to Community
,legislation on environmental, food safety and other standards
through temporary payments to help implement standards and support
for audits to identify and propose improvements in these areas.
The Agency continues to track CAP developments
with the help of Defra and where necessary makes appropriate input
to development of UK positions on CAP matters relevant to the
remit of the Agency.
February 2004
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