Sustainable Development in policy and decision making consultation

Views and comments are sought on draft guidance on the Food Standards Agency's Policy Assessment Framework produced to help its staff to incorporate sustainable development considerations into the policy and decision making process. Sustainable development is about development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The key features of the Framework and guidance are:

• A set of structured, comprehensive questions to act as prompts for staff
• Bringing together appraisal aspects that are required under many different Government policies
• Focusing on potential issues that are of relevance to the Agency
• Considerations are grouped under the headings: economic, social, environmental, cross-cutting, distributional impacts and risk
• Can feed into Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs)

When responding, please state whether you are responding as a private individual or on behalf of an organisation/company. A Welsh translation of this letter is being prepared. Anyone who would like to receive a copy of the Welsh language version should contact:
Phil Morgan
Food Standards Agency Wales
11th Floor
Southgate House
Wood Street
Cardiff
CF10 1EW

Tel: 029 2067 8913

This consultation has been prepared in accordance with the HM Government Code of Practice on Consultation, which states that a consultation must follow better regulation best practice, including carrying out an Impact Assessment (Regulatory Impact Assessment in Scotland). The assessment is included in the consultation documents.

We are interested in what you thought of this consultation and would therefore welcome your general feedback on both the consultation package and overall consultation process. If you would like to assist us to improve the quality of future consultations, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by using the consultation feedback questionnaire.

Consultation feedback questionnaire (Word)

Consultation feedback questionnaire (pdf)

In accordance with the FSA principle of openness our Information Centre at Aviation House will hold a copy of the completed consultation. Responses will be open to public access upon request. The FSA will also publish a summary of responses, which may include personal data, such as your full name and contact address details. If you do not want this information to be released, please complete and return the Publication of Personal Data Form. Return of this form does not mean that we will treat your response to the consultation as confidential, just your personal data.

Data protection form (Word)

Data protection form (pdf)

Background
The Government's sustainable development strategy was launched in May 1999 in the White Paper, A better quality of life. This strategy is currently under review and in April 2004 Ministers launched a major consultation exercise, Taking it on. The review proposes a renewed impetus of action on sustainable development, including to 'embed sustainable development more effectively within government action and policy-making'. The target is to have a new UK strategic framework in place by spring 2005.

The Agency is in the process of incorporating sustainable development into all of its work including: estates management, the Agency as an employer, and policy development. The most challenging issue is how to embed sustainable development considerations into policy making.

The Agency's draft strategic plan, issued for consultation in April 2004, set out an interim Agency position on sustainability. The Board of the Food Standards Agency discussed sustainable development at its open meeting on 14 October 2004 including consideration of the results of the consultation on the Agency's strategic plan. The Board signalled its commitment to the sustainable development initiative and agreed the following position statement:

'The Food Standards Agency's remit is to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food, both now and in the future. In doing so the Agency will take sustainable development into account in all of its activities and policy decisions.'

All Government departments need a mechanism to take sustainable development into account in policy making. The Board has approved the development of such a mechanism for the Agency known as the Policy Assessment Framework (PAF). Draft guidance has been prepared to help staff better to understand the nature of sustainable development and to use the PAF effectively. The Board requested that stakeholders should be consulted about the development of the PAF and associated draft guidance to staff.

Policy Assessment Framework
The PAF approach begins with a series of questions that covers all aspects of sustainable development ' environmental, social and economic. The questions act as a prompt to policy makers so that all potential impacts are considered in a methodical way, including how impacts might affect different groups of consumers. Completion of the PAF framework to identify the likely impacts is only the first step in assessing a policy, project or advice for its sustainability. Once the impacts have been identified, a more detailed analysis is needed.

The use of the PAF and associated draft guidance should contribute to robust policy making in the Agency by identifying and taking into account a wide range of potential impacts at an early stage in the decision making process.

The use of the PAF and the consideration of sustainable development issues in policy making will not affect the Agency's remit. This remains unchanged. Our prime concern will remain to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food, but in doing so the Agency will take account of sustainability considerations as well as ensuing that our decisions are both proportionate and appropriately precautionary.

Draft guidance to staff
The guidance aims to help staff to apply the PAF within the normal policy making cycle and incorporate sustainable development considerations into the decision making process. It is intended that the final guidance will be published and this will provide transparency for stakeholders about how the Agency takes sustainable development into account in its decision making.

The draft guidance gives background information on the sustainable development initiative and the Agency's development of the PAF. It also provides guidance on what policies the PAF should be applied to and advice on how to undertake assessments. A key part of this is the PAF summary table, which includes a list of questions to prompt staff to identify potential impacts under the broad headings of economic, social, environmental, cross cutting and distributional. The final section of the table requires a summary of the main risks identified. The draft guidance goes on to provide advice on weighing up costs and benefits.

Your views
Specific views are now sought on the draft guidance for staff at Annex E and particularly on:

• the framework questions listed in the PAF table
• the guidance accompanying each question
• assessing sustainability, costs and benefits ' paragraphs 46 to 58 of the guidance

The PAF and the draft guidance will be reconsidered in the light of responses received to this consultation document. The aim is to revise the draft guidance in Spring 2005. The PAF and associated guidance will then be tested via series of pilot exercises on live policy issues.

Within three months of a consultation ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page.

If, after three months, the summary is still not showing, please contact the person who was responsible for the original consultation. Alternatively, you can contact Judith Taylor, the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator, on 020 7276 8633.
Email: judith.taylor@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk