Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the application of food safety regulations to (a) the vehicles and (b) the bags used by delivery drivers.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Food safety regulations in the United Kingdom apply to all stages of the food supply chain, including the transport and delivery of food by vehicles and in bags. These requirements are set out in the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, which implement assimilated Regulation (EU) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs. Under these regulations:

- vehicles used for food delivery must be kept clean, maintained in good condition, and designed to prevent contamination. Where necessary, they must be capable of maintaining appropriate temperatures for chilled or frozen foods;

- hot food must be kept at 63˚C or above. However, limited periods outside temperature control are permitted, to accommodate the practicalities of handling during the preparation, transport, storage, display, and service of food, provided that it does not result in a risk to health; and

- delivery bags and containers must also be kept clean and made from materials that are easily maintained and suitable for food contact. They must protect food from contamination and, where required, maintain safe temperatures during transport.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) provides guidance to food businesses on how to meet these requirements, including advice on cleaning, temperature control, and preventing cross-contamination. Businesses are expected to assess and manage these risks through their food safety management systems.

The existing legal framework is considered sufficient to ensure food safety during delivery, provided businesses comply with their responsibilities.

Local authorities are responsible for enforcing these food hygiene requirements as part of their role in regulating food businesses. Further information is available on the FSA’s website at the following link:

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/food-safety-for-food-delivery

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the placement of children with new foster parents does not have a disruptive impact on their education.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government recognises the importance of continuity and stability throughout a looked-after child’s life.

Under the care planning, placement and case review guidance and regulations, and Section 22c of the Children Act 1989, social workers, with the support of the local authority’s virtual school head, must minimise disruption to a child’s education. School changes should be minimised, and necessary transitions carefully planned and supported. Where change is unavoidable, their Personal Education Plan should outline arrangements to minimise disruption to education, especially during exam periods.

The department is supporting local authorities to recruit foster carers and committed an additional £25 million, on top of a previously announced £15 million, to support further recruitment. We also recognise the need to support foster carers properly, in order to retain the carers we already have. Ensuring foster carer sufficiency is vital to enabling local authorities to provide local fostering homes, and keep children close to their school and community.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to announce the new membership of the National Quality Board.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In our 10-Year Health Plan we committed to reintroducing a new, rigorous focus on high-quality care for all, and that as part of this we will revitalise the National Quality Board. The next meeting of the National Quality Board is in December, and we continue to review its membership to ensure it is an effective decision-making body. The membership includes representatives from a wide range of organisations and arms-length bodies in the health and care sector.