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Food Standards Scotland was established in April 2015 as the public sector food body for Scotland, to protect the health and wellbeing of consumers through three objectives set under the Food (Scotland) Act 2015. FSS has a unique

role in government, working independently of Ministers and industry, to provide advice which is impartial, and based on robust science and data. The Act includes a statutory objective to improve the extent to which members of the public have diets conducive to good health.

Since 2015 FSS have advised government policy regarding dietary improvements as outlined in the following Board papers which are published here: Board meetings | Food Standards Scotland.

A number of the recommendations outlined within the Board papers have been incorporated into Scottish Government policies and action plans including the Diet and Healthy weight delivery and Out of Home action plans. An overview of their public health nutrition strategy is available here: Public Health Nutrition Strategy | Food Standards Scotland which sets out their approach to addressing the statutory objective to improving the diet. It signals a greater focus on measures to influence the food environment supporting healthier and more sustainable options for consumers.

Local Authorities check for compliance with allergen law during food law interventions at food businesses. It is not possible for Food Standards Scotland (FSS) to determine the number of breaches. However, 127 allergen incidents have been reported to FSS Incidents team since 1st April 2019. Since 1st April 2019, FSS has issued 455 allergy alerts (26 were drafted and issued by FSS), most of these alerts were drafted and issued by Food Standards Agency but were mirrored by FSS as there was distribution of implicated products to Scotland.

From summer 2019, Police Scotland introduced a new system for recording traffic collisions. Due to improved recording and categorisation processes, it is expected that there will be an increase in the number of casualties and accidents on Scottish roads that are classified as serious. This increase would not reflect an actual change in the severity of accidents occurring on Scottish roads but would instead reflect more accurate recording.

The following tables presents the total number of personal injury collisions (Slight, Serious and Fatal) for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The Scottish Government does not hold information relating to damage only accidents (i.e. not involving an injury).

We assess the environmental impact of farming operations at Knocknagael through the use of Biodiversity and Carbon audits.

We do not hold information on the numbers of livestock owned and managed by our farm and croft tenants or assess any environmental impact of livestock farming on a tenant by tenant basis.

FSS collaborates routinely with all Scottish local authorities (LA) to identify and prevent food fraud, which is formalised through various fora, including:

• MOU in relation to the investigation of food crime in Scotland
• FSS acting as intelligence hub for all LA food teams
• authorised LA staff having access to FSS intelligence database
• representation at various LA/FSS liaison groups pertaining to food crime
• use of an FSS QR code to facilitate input of intelligence at source by LA Food officers
• SFELC Food Crime representative attendance at the FSS Food Crime TTCG

The Operational Delivery Division in Food Standards Scotland has a contingency plan for all meat plants in Scotland. This ensures a continuous service of Meat Hygiene Inspectors (MHIs) and Official Veterinarians (OVs) and to minimise disruption to supply chains during times of severe weather, industrial action, or other extraordinary events.

The Scottish Government is actively working with partners to establish the Investment Zone for the North East region. There is a jointly agreed and delivered Gateway process for the Investment Zone to follow through to delivery. This is currently underway, and it is anticipated that the Investment Zone will be established and operational later this year.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has an established Risk Analysis process in place to assess, manage and communicate evidence-based advice on food safety risks. It is a joint process with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to ensure the UK maintains high standards of food and feed safety.

The aim of the risk analysis process is to provide confidence that FSS and FSA advice delivers public health protection; is informed by science and evidence; considers consumers’ other interests in relation to food; and is independent. The process follows globally recognised frameworks for risk analysis. It is open and transparent and provides for a four nations approach.

When an issue is identified a risk assessment is conducted to estimate the risk to human and/or animal health. This may be done in consultation with external experts from independent Scientific Advisory Committees and Joint Expert Groups. Risk assessments will generally be conducted on a four-nation basis, with capacity for nation-specific risk assessments where required. Risk managers then consider which approaches could be implemented to manage and control the risk. Interested parties are consulted and other factors are considered alongside food safety, such as animal welfare, environment, economic impact, and any nation-specific factors that are relevant. The risk management advice can be used to inform ministerial decisions on changes to legislation, or to provide guidance on issues affecting businesses and consumers.

As part of its competent authority role Food Standards Scotland monitors and enforces regulations in marine waters, slaughterhouses, standalone cutting plants, game handling establishments, feed, and wine business, throughout the length and breadth of Scotland, this includes on the Islands and all rural areas where a business is located.