Freedom of Information: a case study
Abstract
The purpose of this case study was to find out how easy it was to access information on the hygiene standards of eating places open to the public. Using the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000, four adjacent local authorities in South Wales were asked to provide the last food hygiene report of an eating place in their area. The disclosed reports were assessed to determine how useful they would be to an individual seeking more information on a food premise. It was relatively easy to obtain information from two authorities and difficult if not impossible with the others. One local authority refused to release information despite the intervention of the FOI Commissioner. The quality of the information released was variable. This ranged from a completed comprehensive inspection protocol to a hand-written, illegible, incomplete report that failed to adequately differentiate between requirements and recommendations. Without some training in food law and food hygiene it would be difficult to interpret the reports. There was no evidence from the information provided of inspection scoring. The case study raises concerns about the effectiveness of the Act for consumers who wish to obtain information about the hygiene standards of food premises. While the specialist information provided by hygiene inspection reports may be useful to businesses it is not helpful for the lay public. Consumers must be prepared to exercise patience and tenacity if they want this information. Concerns must be raised about the consistency of the inspection process and about the willingness of some local authorities to be transparent about the inspection and enforcement process.
Journal/conference proceeding
The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health
Citation
The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, 126 (5), pp.228-232
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, subject and abstract.
-
Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, concerning food hygiene, in children and young adults in South Wales.
Mullan, Barbara A. (Cardiff Metropolitan University, 1997)Surveillance statistics show that many food poisoning cases occur in the home and surveys have revealed wide spread ignorance of cross-contamination and temperature control. In this work the food preparation practices of ... -
A Cross-sectional study of the Mandatory Display of Food Hygiene Ratings among Food Businesses in Blaenau Gwent
Jones, Rebecca (2018-05)The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is a national scheme operating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The scheme provides consumers with information on the hygiene standards in a food business following a food hygiene ... -
Consumer food handling in the home: A review of food safety studies
Redmond, Elizabeth; Griffith, Chris J. (International Association for Food Protection, 2003)Epidemiological data from Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand indicate that a substantial proportion of foodborne disease is attributable to improper food preparation practices in consumers' homes. International ...