Axe hangs over jobs at Food Standards Agency

Employees of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are anxiously awaiting the outcome of restructuring instigated by chief executive Tim Smith, which is likely to result in a number of job losses.

The restructuring is focusing on developing a new organisational structure for the body’s food safety work, along with wider changes, said an FSA spokesman. It is likely to result in a number of job losses and changing roles across the FSA, including its headquarters in London.
The spokesman said: “The aim is to bring together work on aspects of food safety that was previously spread across several divisions in two different groups.
“The merger of these two groups provides a real opportunity for us to ensure we organise ourselves well to provide the best synergy with our strategic goals on food safety, while maximising our impact in improving public health in relation to food safety.”
While consultation is underway with staff on the changes, he said the FSA was not in position to confirm the number of job losses and other changes that would result.
The FSA is a UK-wide body set up in 2000 in the wake of the BSE crisis. Its main offices are in London, Aberdeen, Cardiff, Belfast and York and it employs over 2,000 staff (1,200 within its executive agency, the Meat Hygiene Service). Its budget for the last financial year was £162M.
Last month the FSA opened consultations on its five-year strategic plan for the period 2010 to 2015, which is focusing on safe food and healthy eating through an improved balance of diet. Core to both main areas is a proportionate, risk-based regulatory regime, which is clear about the responsibilities of food business operators and others.