Food Standards Agency
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Standing Order for Board Meetings
1. The quorum for Board meetings will be the Chair or Deputy Chair plus five other members of whom one must be one of the members for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
2. Where members are not able to attend a meeting, they should send their apologies in advance to the Secretariat. Members should not be absent from more than two consecutive meetings without the prior agreement of the Chair.
Back to top3. Board meetings will be held monthly (apart from in August). Locations for Board meetings will be set so as to ensure that at least one meeting per year is held in each of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and at least two further meetings per year are held outside of London and the South East.
4. The secretariat will propose, by the end of each calendar year, a schedule of meetings for the year commencing the following April. Formal meetings will generally be held over a morning, with the opportunity during the previous evening for informal discussion between Board members and/or with invited guests.
Back to top5. The agenda and papers for Board members will be collated, bound and sent to Board members at least one week in advance of Board meetings.
6. The agenda for each formal meeting of the Board will be posted on the Agency website in advance of the meeting, as will meeting papers (except where there are overriding reasons for non-disclosure that outweigh any possible public interest, as detailed in the Agency’s own Code of Practice on Openness, and including but not limited to the discussion by the Board of internal personnel issues). Any press release following the Board's discussions will be posted on the Agency's website within one day of the meeting.
7. Formal minutes of Board meetings will record key points from members' discussions but will not attribute comments to named members, other than interventions from the Chair, unless this is specifically requested by the member concerned. Where personnel, finance or other restricted matters are discussed, the minutes will describe the substance of the discussion in general terms. Agreed minutes will be posted on the website.
Back to top8. The Chair, Deputy Chair and members must declare their relevant interests in issues to be discussed at formal meetings of the Board. The interest should be declared in advance of the meeting, and again prior to discussion of the relevant agenda item at the meeting. After members have fully explained the nature of their interests the Chair (or the Deputy Chair in the case of a declaration from the Chair) will decide whether and to what extent the member should participate in the discussion and determination of the issue. If it is decided that the member should leave the meeting, the Chair (or the Deputy Chair in the case of a declaration from the Chair) may first allow them to make a statement on the item under discussion. Where the Chair has a relevant interest and leaves the meeting, the Deputy Chair will chair the discussion of the relevant agenda item.
Back to top9. Members may consult colleagues or advisers on any papers issued in advance of meetings, apart from those marked for non-disclosure. Members should ensure that those whom they consult are made aware of, and respect, the need to act discreetly.
10. Members should treat papers marked for non-disclosure as confidential to themselves, and not discuss them with others outside the Food Standards Agency. Members must take extra care not to leave them unattended and where others may obtain access to them.
11. The Board will take collective responsibility for its decisions. Members are therefore expected, if questioned on a matter on which the Board has taken a view, to distinguish clearly between their personal views and those of the Board. If members are questioned on a matter that falls within the remit of the Food Standards Agency but on which the Board has not taken a view, members are free to give their own personal view but should stress that this does not necessarily represent the view of the Board.
Back to top12. Schedule 1, paragraph 12 of the Food Standards Act 1999 permits the Board to delegate powers, either specifically or generally, to any members or sub-committees of the Board.
13. The Board has authorised the Chair or, in her absence, the Deputy Chair, to discharge such powers of the Board as she deems necessary in order to deal with the business of the Agency between formal Board meetings. Appropriate powers will be delegated to sub-committees of the Board once they are established.
14. Where in the opinion of the Chair and considering advice from the Chief Executive significant operational or other matters require approval by the Board between meetings, papers will be circulated for approval by correspondence.
15. A rapid alert system will be used to inform members of and brief them on significant inter-sessional policy decisions that are taken without consultation of Board members, for example regarding the Agency’s response to a food scare.
Back to top16. These standing orders will be reviewed after six months. Revisions, once agreed in principle by the Chair, will be circulated to members for approval by correspondence. Revisions will be incorporated into the standing orders if approved by all members.
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