Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kate Osamor this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 21–26 of 26 · Department of Health and Social Care
Whether he plans to establish a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Taiwan.
Department officials continue to engage with Taiwanese officials. Any new reciprocal healthcare agreement between the United Kingdom and Taiwan would be subject to negotiations.
If he will bring forward legislative proposals to increase the availability of allergen information in hospitality venues where food is not pre-packed.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has policy responsibility for food safety, including food allergen labelling, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and is working to improve the availability and accuracy of allergen information for non-prepacked foods, which includes foods made to order in restaurants.Last year, the FSA board agreed that businesses selling non-prepacked foods, such as cafes and restaurants, should be required to provide allergen information to consumers in writing, as well as having a conversation.As a non-ministerial department, the FSA cannot make legislation, but has written to ministers in England and Wales, the Executive in Northern Ireland, and Food Standards Scotland, who would ultimately decide whether to change the law.Any new legislation needs to be carefully considered, taking into account the views of all stakeholders and the balance of costs and benefits, and the FSA will provide more information to support a decision on legislation if needed.To make improvements more quickly, the FSA is creating best practice guidance for businesses, which makes it clear that they should provide both written allergen information and support this with a conversation. A public consultation on this guidance has recently concluded and the guidance, along with tools to assist businesses in following it, will be published early next year.The FSA has conducted a number of research projects looking at the provision of allergen information by businesses, including those in the hospitality sector. The FSA is currently carrying out another two research projects, a consumer survey and a food business survey, to understand the allergen information provision landscape and allow for evaluation of change.Food business operators are legally required to ensure that food handlers are supervised, instructed, or trained, or both, in food hygiene and safety measures.The FSA provides support for food businesses through guidance and training to help drive up knowledge and compliance with allergen regulations and safe practices. For example, free allergen e-learning was launched in 2020 and has over 700,000 users to date.
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of severe food allergy labelling requirements for hospitality venues.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has policy responsibility for food safety, including food allergen labelling, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and is working to improve the availability and accuracy of allergen information for non-prepacked foods, which includes foods made to order in restaurants.Last year, the FSA board agreed that businesses selling non-prepacked foods, such as cafes and restaurants, should be required to provide allergen information to consumers in writing, as well as having a conversation.As a non-ministerial department, the FSA cannot make legislation, but has written to ministers in England and Wales, the Executive in Northern Ireland, and Food Standards Scotland, who would ultimately decide whether to change the law.Any new legislation needs to be carefully considered, taking into account the views of all stakeholders and the balance of costs and benefits, and the FSA will provide more information to support a decision on legislation if needed.To make improvements more quickly, the FSA is creating best practice guidance for businesses, which makes it clear that they should provide both written allergen information and support this with a conversation. A public consultation on this guidance has recently concluded and the guidance, along with tools to assist businesses in following it, will be published early next year.The FSA has conducted a number of research projects looking at the provision of allergen information by businesses, including those in the hospitality sector. The FSA is currently carrying out another two research projects, a consumer survey and a food business survey, to understand the allergen information provision landscape and allow for evaluation of change.Food business operators are legally required to ensure that food handlers are supervised, instructed, or trained, or both, in food hygiene and safety measures.The FSA provides support for food businesses through guidance and training to help drive up knowledge and compliance with allergen regulations and safe practices. For example, free allergen e-learning was launched in 2020 and has over 700,000 users to date.
If he will extend the Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 to (a) restaurant menus and (b) non-pre-packed food.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has policy responsibility for food safety, including food allergen labelling, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and is working to improve the availability and accuracy of allergen information for non-prepacked foods, which includes foods made to order in restaurants.Last year, the FSA board agreed that businesses selling non-prepacked foods, such as cafes and restaurants, should be required to provide allergen information to consumers in writing, as well as having a conversation.As a non-ministerial department, the FSA cannot make legislation, but has written to ministers in England and Wales, the Executive in Northern Ireland, and Food Standards Scotland, who would ultimately decide whether to change the law.Any new legislation needs to be carefully considered, taking into account the views of all stakeholders and the balance of costs and benefits, and the FSA will provide more information to support a decision on legislation if needed.To make improvements more quickly, the FSA is creating best practice guidance for businesses, which makes it clear that they should provide both written allergen information and support this with a conversation. A public consultation on this guidance has recently concluded and the guidance, along with tools to assist businesses in following it, will be published early next year.The FSA has conducted a number of research projects looking at the provision of allergen information by businesses, including those in the hospitality sector. The FSA is currently carrying out another two research projects, a consumer survey and a food business survey, to understand the allergen information provision landscape and allow for evaluation of change.Food business operators are legally required to ensure that food handlers are supervised, instructed, or trained, or both, in food hygiene and safety measures.The FSA provides support for food businesses through guidance and training to help drive up knowledge and compliance with allergen regulations and safe practices. For example, free allergen e-learning was launched in 2020 and has over 700,000 users to date.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making allergen training a mandatory requirement for hospitality venues.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has policy responsibility for food safety, including food allergen labelling, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and is working to improve the availability and accuracy of allergen information for non-prepacked foods, which includes foods made to order in restaurants.Last year, the FSA board agreed that businesses selling non-prepacked foods, such as cafes and restaurants, should be required to provide allergen information to consumers in writing, as well as having a conversation.As a non-ministerial department, the FSA cannot make legislation, but has written to ministers in England and Wales, the Executive in Northern Ireland, and Food Standards Scotland, who would ultimately decide whether to change the law.Any new legislation needs to be carefully considered, taking into account the views of all stakeholders and the balance of costs and benefits, and the FSA will provide more information to support a decision on legislation if needed.To make improvements more quickly, the FSA is creating best practice guidance for businesses, which makes it clear that they should provide both written allergen information and support this with a conversation. A public consultation on this guidance has recently concluded and the guidance, along with tools to assist businesses in following it, will be published early next year.The FSA has conducted a number of research projects looking at the provision of allergen information by businesses, including those in the hospitality sector. The FSA is currently carrying out another two research projects, a consumer survey and a food business survey, to understand the allergen information provision landscape and allow for evaluation of change.Food business operators are legally required to ensure that food handlers are supervised, instructed, or trained, or both, in food hygiene and safety measures.The FSA provides support for food businesses through guidance and training to help drive up knowledge and compliance with allergen regulations and safe practices. For example, free allergen e-learning was launched in 2020 and has over 700,000 users to date.
Whether his Department plans to regulate the provision of injections of (a) dermal fillers and (b) weight-loss medications.
The majority of the medicines that can be used for weight management, including injectable medicines containing liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide, are prescription only medicines. They cannot be advertised, including through social media, to the general public or supplied without a valid prescription. The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMR) tightly regulate the manufacture, sale, and supply of such products.Through its dedicated Criminal Enforcement Unit, the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) works with partners to enforce the HMR and to disrupt the illegal trade in weight loss and other medicines. Selling or supplying weight loss medicines without a prescription is a criminal offence, and the MHRA takes robust and proportionate enforcement action where non-compliance is identified, including prosecution where appropriate.The Government is currently exploring what steps may need to be taken regarding the safety of the cosmetics sector, including in relation to the provision of dermal filler and weight loss injections for cosmetic purposes. The Government will set out its position at the earliest opportunity.