The appointment of five external members of the Meat Hygiene Advisory Committee (MHAC) was announced yesterday by Suzi Leather, Deputy Chair of the Food Standards Agency.
The MHAC is made up of Board members of the Food Standards Agency and independent experts, who will develop a strategic oversight of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) to ensure that it operates efficiently and effectively. The committee’s role is to consider, review and advise on the direction of meat hygiene policy (including BSE) within a framework set by the FSA Board.
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The establishment of the committee follows the setting up of the Food Standards Agency and the consequent need to review existing arrangements for scientific advice on meat hygiene policy. The committee will advise the Agency, and will be supported by a small secretariat. It will be chaired by Suzi Leather and will include four other Board members of the Agency; representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; and the Government’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Jim Scudamore.
The following people have been appointed as external members.
Mr Iain MacDonald
Miss Miriam Parker
Ms Denise Rennie
Mr Waheed Saleem
Mrs Anne Wilson
Suzi Leather said today: “We promised when the Agency was established in April last year to establish this new advisory committee. It will have an oversight of the work of the Meat Hygiene Service, which is an executive agency of the Food Standards Agency. The members of the new advisory committee bring with them varied expertise and valuable experience on meat hygiene matters as they affect consumers, animal welfare, and the meat industry. Their advice will be crucial to the development of public health policy on meat hygiene.”
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By GlobalDataNOTES FOR EDITORS
The lengths of members’ appointments vary for the sake of continuity, and so that not all of them need seek reappointment at the same time. Members of the MHAC are unpaid, but receive £116 for attending each committee meeting. They are also reimbursed for travel and subsistence expenses. The committee is expected to meet three or four times a year.
Members were appointed under an appointments process in line with guidance from the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The posts were widely advertised in the scientific, ethnic minority, and broad sheet Press.
The full membership list is:
Suzi Leather (Chair), FSA Deputy Chair
Michael Gibson, FSA Board member
Valerie Howarth, FSA Board member
Robert Rees, FSA Board member
Jim Scudamore, Chief Veterinary Officer
Robert Bell, Advisory Committee for Wales
David Collins, Northern Ireland Advisory Committee
Willie Davidson, Scottish Food Advisory Committee
Iain MacDonald, External member
Miriam Parker, External member
Denise Rennie, External member
Waheed Saleem, External member
Anne Wilson, External member
EXTERNAL MEMBERS –
APPOINTMENT DETAILS
Name | Length of Appointment | Other current Ministerial appointments | Daily Fees £ | Political Activity |
Iain MacDonald | 3 years | None | – | None |
Miriam Parker | 2 years | 1. Farm Animal Welfare Council 2. Transport and Markets Working Group | 116
185 | None |
Denise Rennie | 3 years | None | – | None |
Waheed Saleem | 3 years | None | – | Member of the Labour Party |
Anne Wilson | 2 years | None | – | None |
EXTERNAL MEMBERS –
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Mr Iain MacDonald is a management consultant and chartered surveyor. He has extensive experience of senior management in a diverse range of posts, including as the United Nations Municipal Administrator of a major city.
Miss Miriam Parker is a pedigree sheep farmer and technical director of an animal welfare association. She has a history of work in animal welfare.
Ms Denise Rennie is a senior lecturer and Head of School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford. She has conducted investigations of consumer understanding of a wide range of food topics including food irradiation and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) implementation.
Mr Waheed Saleem is soon to graduate in social policy and administration at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has contributed to his local and national community as chair of a youth forum, and a member of local health and regeneration bodies.
Mrs Anne Wilson is National Vice Chairman of Townswomen’s Guilds. Through her work she has an in-depth awareness of consumer issues, and is particularly interested in food legislation.
