Food Standards Scotland:transition to the future

Elspeth Macdonald

Deputy Chief Executive

Introduction

• Vesting Day - 1st April 2015

• New Chair and Board in place

• Chair – Ross Finnie

• Chief Executive – Geoff Ogle

• Broader objectives in the Food (Scotland) Act 2015

Chair and Board

Chief Executive

Geoff Ogle

Director of

Operations

Ian McWatt

Deputy CE

Elspeth Macdonald

• Operational

Delivery

• Intelligence,

Incidents &

Delivery

Assurance

• Audit

• Veterinary

& Technical

Private

Office

Director of

Policy and

Evidence

• Nutrition,

Science &

Policy

• Food

Protection,

Science &

Surveillance

• Regulatory

Policy

Chief Scientific

Advisor

Corporate ServicesCommunications

& Marketing

Broader Objectives for FSS

• Protect public from risks to health which may

arise in connection with the consumption of food

• Improve the extent to which members of the

public have diets which are conducive to good health

• Protect the other interests of consumers in

relation to food

Food Standards Scotland…

…has consumer protection consumer protection consumer protection consumer protection and interests at its heart

…should be the voice of authority voice of authority voice of authority voice of authority on food matters

…is open and transparent open and transparent open and transparent open and transparent in its dealings with the public, stakeholders and partners

…acts independentlyindependentlyindependentlyindependently, at arm’s length from Ministers

…bases decisions upon sound science and evidencescience and evidencescience and evidencescience and evidence

…is an evolutionevolutionevolutionevolution of the Food Standards Agency in Scotland – we will do some things differently but have a solid foundation to build upon

What are we transitioning to?

• Wholly Scottish focus:Wholly Scottish focus:Wholly Scottish focus:Wholly Scottish focus:

– Scottish BoardScottish BoardScottish BoardScottish Board

– Scottish strategy Scottish strategy Scottish strategy Scottish strategy

• Outcomes that best serve consumers in ScotlandOutcomes that best serve consumers in ScotlandOutcomes that best serve consumers in ScotlandOutcomes that best serve consumers in Scotland

• Direct accountability to Scottish ParliamentDirect accountability to Scottish ParliamentDirect accountability to Scottish ParliamentDirect accountability to Scottish Parliament

Vision and Strategy

What will be different?

• Different balance between food safety and authenticity Different balance between food safety and authenticity Different balance between food safety and authenticity Different balance between food safety and authenticity ----new statutory powersnew statutory powersnew statutory powersnew statutory powers

• Focus Focus Focus Focus on Scottish prioritieson Scottish prioritieson Scottish prioritieson Scottish priorities

• Working more closely with SG but retaining our Working more closely with SG but retaining our Working more closely with SG but retaining our Working more closely with SG but retaining our independence independence independence independence –––– e.g. Good Food Natione.g. Good Food Natione.g. Good Food Natione.g. Good Food Nation

• Chief Scientific Advisor for FSSChief Scientific Advisor for FSSChief Scientific Advisor for FSSChief Scientific Advisor for FSS

• EU/international issues EU/international issues EU/international issues EU/international issues –––– role for FSSrole for FSSrole for FSSrole for FSS

• FSS Strategy to 2018FSS Strategy to 2018FSS Strategy to 2018FSS Strategy to 2018

Opportunities:

• Building on what FSAS achievedBuilding on what FSAS achievedBuilding on what FSAS achievedBuilding on what FSAS achieved

• Ways of working, reflecting Scottish priorities, that protect Ways of working, reflecting Scottish priorities, that protect Ways of working, reflecting Scottish priorities, that protect Ways of working, reflecting Scottish priorities, that protect consumers and supports growth of compliant businessesconsumers and supports growth of compliant businessesconsumers and supports growth of compliant businessesconsumers and supports growth of compliant businesses

• Build on effective working relationships with LAs, industry and Build on effective working relationships with LAs, industry and Build on effective working relationships with LAs, industry and Build on effective working relationships with LAs, industry and government, whilst maintaining focus on consumer protectiongovernment, whilst maintaining focus on consumer protectiongovernment, whilst maintaining focus on consumer protectiongovernment, whilst maintaining focus on consumer protection

• Regulatory Regulatory Regulatory Regulatory and compliance strategy for FSSand compliance strategy for FSSand compliance strategy for FSSand compliance strategy for FSS

• Regulatory Reform Act 2015 Regulatory Reform Act 2015 Regulatory Reform Act 2015 Regulatory Reform Act 2015 ---- Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code

of Practiceof Practiceof Practiceof Practice

• Primary Authority Scheme for ScotlandPrimary Authority Scheme for ScotlandPrimary Authority Scheme for ScotlandPrimary Authority Scheme for Scotland

• Working closely with other Scottish regulatorsWorking closely with other Scottish regulatorsWorking closely with other Scottish regulatorsWorking closely with other Scottish regulators

Government

Priorities

FSS Contribution

Tackling Inequality Improving Diet

Sustainable

economic growth

Business

compliance

Transforming public

services

Intelligence led,

risk-based delivery

Contributing to the Scottish Government’s Purpose

How will we achieve this?

• Effective partnership working and stakeholder Effective partnership working and stakeholder Effective partnership working and stakeholder Effective partnership working and stakeholder engagementengagementengagementengagement

• Evidence based policy developmentEvidence based policy developmentEvidence based policy developmentEvidence based policy development

• Encouraging and empowering consumers Encouraging and empowering consumers Encouraging and empowering consumers Encouraging and empowering consumers ---- improving improving improving improving compliancecompliancecompliancecompliance

• IntelligenceIntelligenceIntelligenceIntelligence----led, riskled, riskled, riskled, risk----based based based based approaches to approaches to approaches to approaches to delivery, with delivery, with delivery, with delivery, with proportionate proportionate proportionate proportionate enforcement enforcement enforcement enforcement

• Good Good Good Good relationships with FSArelationships with FSArelationships with FSArelationships with FSA

Working Together

• protecting consumers from risks to health from protecting consumers from risks to health from protecting consumers from risks to health from protecting consumers from risks to health from food and food and food and food and helping helping helping helping consumers choose diets which consumers choose diets which consumers choose diets which consumers choose diets which are conducive to good healthare conducive to good healthare conducive to good healthare conducive to good health

• FSS as regulator FSS as regulator FSS as regulator FSS as regulator ---- compliance is good compliance is good compliance is good compliance is good for for for for consumers consumers consumers consumers andandandand good for businessgood for businessgood for businessgood for business

• PPPProtection rotection rotection rotection of public health is not incompatible of public health is not incompatible of public health is not incompatible of public health is not incompatible with with with with business and economic growthbusiness and economic growthbusiness and economic growthbusiness and economic growth

• By working together we can deliver better By working together we can deliver better By working together we can deliver better By working together we can deliver better outcomes for consumers and businesses.outcomes for consumers and businesses.outcomes for consumers and businesses.outcomes for consumers and businesses.

Next Steps – Priorities

– Ensure that FSS meets its obligations Ensure that FSS meets its obligations Ensure that FSS meets its obligations Ensure that FSS meets its obligations as as as as CCACCACCACCA

– Developing Developing Developing Developing FSS’s FSS’s FSS’s FSS’s strategystrategystrategystrategy

– Recruit CSA and develop Recruit CSA and develop Recruit CSA and develop Recruit CSA and develop science science science science and and and and evidence strategyevidence strategyevidence strategyevidence strategy

– Develop guidance for new statutory powers from 2015 ActDevelop guidance for new statutory powers from 2015 ActDevelop guidance for new statutory powers from 2015 ActDevelop guidance for new statutory powers from 2015 Act

– Work with industry on Work with industry on Work with industry on Work with industry on a testing a testing a testing a testing regimeregimeregimeregime

– Implement Implement Implement Implement the Scudamore the Scudamore the Scudamore the Scudamore postpostpostpost----horsemeat recommendationshorsemeat recommendationshorsemeat recommendationshorsemeat recommendations, , , , including including including including the FSS intelligence the FSS intelligence the FSS intelligence the FSS intelligence capability capability capability capability

– Current LA delivery Current LA delivery Current LA delivery Current LA delivery –––– engage with LAs on future work plan for engage with LAs on future work plan for engage with LAs on future work plan for engage with LAs on future work plan for efficient and effective deliveryefficient and effective deliveryefficient and effective deliveryefficient and effective delivery

– Review FHIS Review FHIS Review FHIS Review FHIS –––– partnership with LAspartnership with LAspartnership with LAspartnership with LAs

– With others, develop future With others, develop future With others, develop future With others, develop future approach to improving approach to improving approach to improving approach to improving dietdietdietdiet

– etc!etc!etc!etc!