Manchester City Council (Manchester Airport)

The audit covered Manchester City Council's imported food inspection and law enforcement service in respect of imported foods not of animal origin (NPOAO). Products of animal origin (POAO) are subject to veterinary control checks and separate auditing regimes.

The Authority was not aware of any NPOAO feeding stuffs being imported through the Airport. However, arrangements for their examination were raised during the audit and references have been included in the report where relevant. Similarly, the imported food safety and food standards law enforcement arrangements at Manchester Airport did not directly involve the Authority's Trading Standards Service, although this Service would take any follow-up action on food standards and feeding stuffs issues identified. The Trading Standards Service's role was therefore explored during the audit in this context and references to the Service are included as appropriate.

The audit assessed the Authority's conformance against the Standard, using audit protocols FSA/IMP/1-FSA/IMP/16. The Standard was adopted by the Food Standards Agency Board on 21 September 2000, (amended March 2002), and forms part of the Agency's Framework Agreement with local authorities.

The on-site element of the audit took place at the Authority's Health Protection Group's offices at the Town Hall, Albert Square, the Trading Standards offices at 1 Gort Walk, Hulme, and at Manchester Airport on 22 - 24 October 2003.

The audit also afforded the opportunity for discussion with officers involved in imported food law enforcement, with the aim of exploring trends and gaining opinions to inform Agency policy. A set of structured questions were used as the basis for a discussion which sought views and information on areas related to imported food controls such as:

• service planning and the strategic framework of controls;
• the criteria used for determining an appropriate level of checks;
• issues affecting the imported food control programme;
• sampling and surveillance;
• enforcement approaches.

The information gained during the interviews will be incorporated into a summary report on the imported food inspection and control activities audit programme.