At its open meeting in Cardiff, the Agency's Board fully endorsed the principle that meat hygiene regulation should be aligned more closely with the regulation of the rest of the food chain, adopting a more risk and evidence-based approach to regulation, inspection and enforcement.

The Board noted that this would require working collaboratively with the European Commission and other Member States, to gather evidence as a basis for future changes in the EU approach to meat hygiene regulation. The Board agreed this would be a priority.

The Board agreed that Official Controls in England, Scotland and Wales should be delivered by a Transformed Meat Hygiene Service (TMHS), provided it meets a series of challenging financial and performance targets. This approach would be supported by an audit and inspection regime, which would maintain a high level of consumer protection and promote compliance with Official Controls, through a system based on earned autonomy. The Board also agreed to conduct the preparatory work on a delivery partner model as part of a move towards greater contestability. A decision on this would be made by the Board in spring 2008.

The Board also agreed:

• that a new charging system should be developed, in consultation with stakeholders
  
• that the FSA set up an Advisory Body for the Delivery of Official Controls to advise on plans to implement the agreed changes
  
• that there should be an opportunity for local authorities to deliver Official Controls in low-throughput approved premises
  
• that the FSA and MHS should work with the poultry sector to remove barriers to the greater use of Plant Inspection Assistants (PIAs)
  
• that the FSA and MHS should identify ways to improve joint working with Animal Health and Government Rural Affairs Department to promote meat safety, and animal health and welfare across the food chain

Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said: 'Today marks a watershed in the regulation of meat hygiene. The delivery of a more proportionate risk-based approach to regulation poses a challenge to both the Meat Hygiene Service and the Food Standards Agency and will require commitment, innovation and strong leadership. Throughout this process we must always remember our foremost priority, the protection of consumer health. The future success of the MHS now lies in its own hands.'

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