Scores on the doors - Food Hygiene Ratings Bill introduced

The latest piece of legislation from the Welsh Government was laid in front of the Assembly earlier this week. With several e-coli outbreaks still casting a shadow, the Welsh Government is taking steps to improve food hygiene. I've mentioned a new strategy on school toilets before, but this is something more significant.

What the Food Hygiene Ratings Bill aims to do

The bill is short, but sweet.

• "Food authorities" (that is, by and large, local authority environmental health departments) will inspect "food business establishments" and give them a rating (from 0-5) based on Food Standards Agency criteria.
• "Food business establishments" are defined as registered businesses that supply food direct to the public, or to other businesses.
• "Food business establishments" will then be legally obliged to inform the public of their rating via a food hygiene rating sticker provided to them. They will have a right to appeal and be re-rated.
• Stickers will need to be removed and destroyed when they become invalid.
• It will become an offence, punishable by a fine of £200 payable within 28 days or a reduced £150 payable within 14 days for food businesses to:

1. Fail to display the food hygiene sticker in the "location and manner prescribed"
2. Display an invalid sticker
3. Failing to retain a valid sticker
4. Hands a sticker over to anyone other than a food authority authorised officer
5. Fails to notify anyone of their food hygiene rating verbally
6. Intentionally defacing/altering/tampering with a sticker
7. Removing/destroying a sticker other than when they become invalid
8. Food authority officers will have the legal power to enter a food business premises (at reasonable hours) to carry out a food hygiene rating, a re-rating, determining an appeal or enforcing requirements to display the sticker.

• Fixed penalties will be paid to the Welsh Government, and retained to "improve food hygiene" in Wales.

Beefing up food hygiene in Wales

Now, once again, this isn't the most Earth-shattering legislation ever drawn up, however I suspect it's going to be incredibly effective, while minimising "red tape" to food businesses. It's fairly simple to understand, and Health Minister Lesley Griffiths (Lab, Wrexham) has ensured that it will cover all premises that prepare food.

It's expected that the new statutory requirements will come into force sometime in late 2013 if the bill is passed.

The 0-5 scores are already available, and simple to understand – you can find existing local ratings here at the Food Standards Agency website.

0 – Urgent improvement necessary
1 – Major improvement necessary
2 – Improvement necessary
3 – Generally satisfactory
4 – Good
5 – Very good

These ratings are used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has a different rating scheme – a simpler "pass" and "need for improvement" one.

Forcing businesses to display their food hygiene rating will, hopefully, help drive up food hygiene standards across Wales. "Scores on the doors" is as good as "name and shame". I wouldn't be surprised if this compulsory scheme is replicated across the UK, or even the EU, at some point in the future.

I just hope that it doesn't result in people seeking out those premises marked 0 to see if they can "handle it."

If I could make one change, it's that premises that are rated 0 can be closed down by authorities until they meet the criteria for getting a 1 or a 2.