Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to introduce the compulsory display of food hygiene ratings for shops and restaurants in England; and, if so, what is the timetable for implementation.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has responsibility for the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS). Currently it is voluntary for food businesses in England to display their hygiene ratings. Display has been mandatory in Wales since November 2013 and in Northern Ireland since October 2016.
The FSA considers that mandatory display of food hygiene ratings in England would be beneficial and is using the evidence from Wales to build a strong case. The FSA is exploring how a statutory scheme could be delivered in England as part of the FSA’s work to deliver a new model of regulation for food businesses – the Regulating Our Future programme.
The Regulating Our Future programme is redesigning how food businesses are regulated and as hygiene ratings are based on inspections it is important they are part of those discussions. Embedding FHRS into our future model of regulation will ensure we have a robust and credible scheme that continues to deliver benefits for consumers.
The FSA remains committed to seeing the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings introduced in England and the Government will consider the case carefully once it is available.