Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to regulate the provision of allergen information by home-based food businesses.

The provision of allergen information by home-based food businesses is regulated by local authority food officers. During an inspection, officers will assess a food business’ level of compliance with allergen information requirements and provide advice or take corrective action where non-compliances are identified. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued guidance to local authorities in November 2020 to support the consistent regulation of the provision of allergen information. To help and support home-based food businesses, the FSA has published guidance specifically targeted at starting a business at home during COVID-19. The FSA’s ‘Here to help food businesses’ provides detailed information on allergen management.