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Food Standards Agency

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Annual Public Appointment Report

Friday 26 June 2009

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is currently solely responsible for seven public bodies, all of them advisory committees. In addition the FSA also share three public bodies with the Department of Health, and one with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The Annual Appointments Report includes our public appointments objectives for 2009/10.

It also includes diversity levels and our progress against diversity targets.

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Overview

In addition to its Board and our Advisory Committees for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as stated, the FSA is currently responsible for seven public bodies, all of which are advisory bodies. These are the

Where a committee is joint between the FSA and one or more other departments we divide the reporting between us.

This report does not therefore include the following as these are already covered in the Department of Health's plan.

The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee is included in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs plan.

Terms of reference for all the committees FSA report on can be found in the Public Bodies database at the link below.

The FSA Chair has responsibility for making appointments to its advisory committees and all of the appointments are made on merit. Although appointments to these Advisory Committee are not regulated by Office for the Commissioner for Public Bodies (OCPA), the FSA still follows the OCPA principles as good practice and is committed to making public appointments based on merit and equal opportunities, with independent assessment, openness and transparency of process.

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2008-2009 Report

The Agency's diversity statistics for the total number of public appointments in each of the last three years is shown in the following table:

Position to date (as at 31 March 2009)


Position to date (as at 31 March)
 
2007
2008
2009
Total number of appointments
74
87
100
Women
26 (35%)
30 (34.5%)
32 (32%)
Ethnic Minorities
5 (7%)
8 (9.2%)
5 (5%)
Disabled People
0 (0%)
1 (1.1%)
1 (1%)

The FSA conducts regular reviews of its advisory committees. As the FSA has a small number of committees, any changes, either to the total number of appointments it has, or any recruitment undertaken, can have a significant effect on the diversity statistics.

The majority of appointments in the seven advisory committees require appointees with specialist scientific knowledge in the particular posts for which they are appointed. It should therefore be borne in mind that the scientific population from which we recruit does not necessarily mirror the general population.

The FSA advertises its public appointment vacancies in a range of ways, including the Cabinet Office Public Appointments vacancies website, in order to maximise opportunities to attract applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Appointments are usually made for a period of three years. Members may be re-appointed for two further terms. The maximum period they can serve on a committee is ten years.

The FSA expert advisory committees usually meet between three and six times a year. All of the FSA's advisory committees expect members time commitments to be one day attending each committee meeting and a time beforehand spent in preparation.

The majority of secretariats provide committees information (or welcome) packages to their new members about the FSA and the work of the committee. Other induction procedures may be used in addition, depending on the individual needs of new members, for example they may be offered the opportunity to attend relevant workshops.

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Targets for 2010-2012

Future targets (as at 31 March)


Future targets (as at 31 March)
 
2010
2011
2012
Women
35%
36%
36%
Ethnic Minorities
8%
9%
9%
Disabled People
2%
3%
3%

The FSA expect to make 12 new appointments and 19 re-appointments to their advisory committees in 2009/10.

The FSA will continue to maximise opportunities to increase diversity amongst its committees membership. This will be achieved in variety of ways including; mentoring, coaching, and reviewing how and where adverts are placed/vacancies are advertised.

New members of advisory committees will continue to receive induction packages and training according to the needs of the individual.

The FSA will continue to keep under review the role of its central appointments unit in relation to the activities undertaken within FSA on appointments and re-appointments to advisory committees.

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Related links

Annual Report 2007/08

Download pdf  (pdf 875KB) Scientific committees The expert groups that advise the Agency on scientific issues

External links   The Food Standards Agency has no responsibility for the content of external websites

(External) Public Bodies: A Guide for Departments (External) Get Adobe Acrobat reader You may need the free Acrobat Reader to view a pdf

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