Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BA | Business Agreement |
| CoC | Certificate of Competence |
| DAERA | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs |
| DEFRA | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| EC | European Commission |
| EU | European Union |
| FBO | Food Business Operator |
| FDQ | Food & Drink Qualifications |
| FSA | Food Standards Agency |
| FSS | Food Standards Scotland |
| LSU | Livestock Units |
1. Introduction
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is a non-ministerial office of the Scottish Administration. It is responsible for the delivery of official controls in approved meat establishments to protect public health, animal health and welfare. This is exercised through proportionate enforcement of relevant legislation.
FSS provides a range of services in approved meat establishments in Scotland and works closely with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which provides a similar service in England and in Wales, and with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) for Northern Ireland. Some of these services are currently paid for by Scottish Government in Scotland and other Government Departments elsewhere, such as Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and others are charged to the Food Business Operator (FBO).
This guidance does not place any legal requirements on FBOs. It explains the legal requirements that FSS must comply with in charging for official controls in meat establishments, and how the charging is calculated and carried out. Section 7 of this guide explains how an FBO can keep charges to a minimum.
2. Charging for official controls
The basis for charging comes from:
- requirements under the official feed and food controls regulation for charging FBOs for official controls (regulated work)
- a requirement from HM Treasury for managing public money for FSS to charge the appropriate customer for the services provided
- the relevant sections contained within the Scottish Government’s Scottish Public Finance Manual
The finance provisions set out in Article 78 to Article 85 of Retained Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 require FSS meat hygiene and animal welfare at slaughter charges (official controls charges) be applied to FBOs. This means that FSS must charge FBOs for the meat hygiene official controls that FSS carries out and must calculate them in line with the requirements of those regulations.
These provisions came into force in Scotland under The Official Feed and Food Controls (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 (SSI 2019 No. 407) (on 14 December 2019) and the Food and Feed (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (SSI 2020 No. 372) (on 1 January 2021). These both amend The Meat (Official Controls Charges) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 (“the Charges Regulations”).
Visit gov.uk for full copies of relevant regulations.
Access a copy of Retained Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 about charges for official controls.