Annex A: Survey questionnaire

A: Overall feeling towards FSA 

(ask all)

1. The FSA is the national authority responsible for food safety and food hygiene across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You may interact directly with the FSA through audits, approvals, the meat hygiene inspectors and official vets on site or correspondence (letters/emails/calls). You may also receive communication from other organisations including other Government Departments (for example, Defra), local authorities and industry bodies. However, for the purpose of this research, please only tell us about your interactions with the FSA. 
 
How would you rate your overall experience of working with the FSA?  (single code read out)

• very good: 1
• good: 2
• average: 3
• poor: 4
• very poor: 5
• don't know: 6
• refused: 7

Ask if respondent rates overall experience (A1=1 to 5)

2. Why did you give this response?

Enter response:

OR

Don't know: 1

3. How have your views of the FSA changed over the last two years? (ask all)

• got better: 1
• Stayed the same: 2
• Got worse: 3
• Don't know: 4

B: Last contact with FSA 

1.    When did you last have contact with or hear from the FSA? This could be in person, through audits or inspections, by phone, in writing or online. 
Add if necessary Northern Ireland: (Meat and dairy): The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs send communications on similar matters, this is independent from FSA communications so please do not consider these when answering this question. (ask all)

Add if necessary Northern Ireland: (Shellfish and wine): Local Authorities also send communications on similar matters, these are independent from FSA communications so please do not consider these when answering this question. 

Single code, prompt if necessary.

• today: 1
• not today, but in the last week: 2
• over a week ago, but in the last month: 3
• over a month ago but in the last 6 months: 4
• over 6 months ago: 5
• never: 6
• don't know: 7

C: Understanding of the FSA

1. How clear or unclear are you about the following: (single code per row read out)

Statement	Very clear	Clear	Neither clear nor unclear	Unclear	Very unclear
1 The FSA’s overall purpose - why the FSA exists	1	2	3	4	5
2 The FSA’s remit - what the FSA does	1	2	3	4	5
3 How the FSA is funded	1	2	3	4	5
4 What changes you have to pay the FSA	1	2	3	4	5
5 How the FSAS makes decisions in its dealings with you	1	2	3	4	5

Ask according to what they come under on sample.

2.    We will present you with a list of processes and services that the FSA delivers [NI: directly or that DAERA deliver on behalf of the FSA]. For each process, please say whether you have had experience of this and, if so, how satisfied or dissatisfied you were with that experience. 

Single code, read out. 

Dairy

Statement	Very satisfied	Satisfied	Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Very dissatisfied	No experience
1 Approval of new establishments/premises	1	2	3	4	5	6
2 Re-approval following a change of activities	1	2	3	4	5	6
3 Unannounced visits	1	2	3	4	5	6
4 Enforcement of FSA regulations	1	2	3	4	5	6
5 The FSA Team	1	2	3	4	5	6
6 [England and Wales] Inspections including for animal welfare (Northern Ireland inspections)	1	2	3	4	5	6

Meat

Statement	Very satisfied	Satisfied	Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Very dissatisfied	No experience
7 Approval of new establishments/premises	1	2	3	4	5	6
8 Re-approval following a change of activities	1	2	3	4	5	6
9 Unannounced visits	1	2	3	4	5	6
10 Enforcement of FSA regulations	1	2	3	4	5	6
11 [England and Wales] Inspections including for animal welfare (Northern Ireland inspections)	1	2	3	4	5	6
12 [England and Wales] Exports to new markets	1	2	3	4	5	6
13 [England and Wales] The FSA team including official vet [Northern Ireland] DAERA official vets and official auxiliaries	1	2	3	4	5	6
14 Audits	1	2	3	4	5	6
15 [England and Wales only] Health and safety advice	1	2	3	4	5	6

Wine

Statement	Very satisfied	Satisfied	Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Very dissatisfied	No experience
16 New wine business registration visits	1	2	3	4	5	6
17 The Food Standards Agency wine inspections team	1	2	3	4	5	6
18 Enforcement of FSA regulations	1	2	3	4	5	6
19 Inspections	1	2	3	4	5	6

Shellfish

Statement	Very satisfied	Satisfied	Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Very dissatisfied	No experience
20 Classification reviews	1	2	3	4	5	6
21 New area applications	1	2	3	4	5	6
22 [England only] Sanitary surveys and reviews	1	2	3	4	5	6
23 [England] Action state reports (text for England) [Northern Ireland] out with investigatory emails	1	2	3	4	5	6
24 Consultation	1	2	3	4	5	6

D: Attitudes towards FSA communication

1. How easy or difficult is it to comply with the FSA guidelines and requirements? (ask all)

Single code, do not read out. 

• very easy: 1
• easy: 2
• neither easy or difficult: 3
• difficult: 4
• very difficult: 5
• don't know: 6

Ask if respondent has found it difficult to comply with guidelines (D1= 4 or 5)

2. You said it is difficult/very difficult to comply with FSA guidelines and requirements. Please can you briefly explain why?

Write in:

Don't know: 1

3. Which of the following types of communication do you receive from the FSA? (ask all)

Multicode, read out

• emails from mailing list: 1
• emails specifically to you: 2
• newsletters: 3
• social media feeds (for example, Twitter, Facebook): 4
• face to face meetings with FSA staff (for example, inspections, audits or unannounced visits): 5
• phone calls: 6
• letter specifically for you: 7
• other (please specify): 8
• Single code: don't know: 9
• Single code: No communication received from FSA: 10

4. Overall how satisfied would you say you are with FSA's communication with you? (ask all)

Single code, prompt if necessary.

• very satisfied: 1
• satisfied: 2
• neither satisfied or dissatisfied: 3
• dissatisfied: 4
• cery dissatisfied: 5
• don't know: 6

5. What types of messages and information do you value from the FSA? (ask all)

Multicode, do not read out. 

• changes to official controls: 1
• changes to regulations affecting your business: 2
• changes to FSA staffing: 3
• commentary on how wider issues will affect the FSA's work (for example, EU exit): 4
• other (please specify): 5
• Single code: don't know: 6
• Single code: none: 7

E: FSA's response to COVID 19

This next section asks about your experiences with the FSA during COVID 19, and how well you felt supported during this time.

1. How has COVID-19 affected your organisation's ability to comply with food standard regulations? Would you say it has made things...? (ask all)

Single code, read out.

• a lot easier: 1
• slightly easier: 2
• neither easier nor difficult: 3
• slightly more difficult: 4
• a lot more difficult: 5
• Do not read out: don't know: 6

Ask if easier or difficult (E1=1 to 2, 4 to 5)

2. To what extent do you feel that the FSA supported your organisation during the restrictions brought in as a result of the COVID pandemic?

Single code, read out.

• to a great extent: 1
• to some extent: 2
• not at all: 3
• business did not require COVID-19 support from FSA: 4
• Do not read out: don't know: 5

Ask if we have felt unsupported during the pandemic (E2=3)

3. Why do you feel that you were not supported?

Write in: 

Don't know: 1

Ask if easier or difficult (E1=1 to 2, 4 to 5)

4. How has the FSA's response to the COVID-19 pandemic affected your views of the FSA? Would you say your view has...?

Single code, read out. 

• considerably improved: 1
• slightly improved: 2
• not changed: 3
• slightly worsened: 4
• considerably worsened: 5
• don't know: 6

Ask if respondent views have improved or got worse (E4=1 to 2 or 4 to 5)

5. Why did your views of them change?

Write in:

Don't know: 1

F: FSA's responses to the EU's Exit and other events

1. What level of impact, if any, has the UK's exit from the EU had for your business? Would you say that it has had...?

Single code, read out. 

• a large impact: 1
• a small impact: 2
• no impact: 3 (route to F5)
• Do not read out: don't know: 4 (route to F5)

(ask if EU exit has had impact F1-1 or 2)

2. To what extent do you feel that the FSA supported your organisation during the UK's exit from the EU?

Single code, read out.

• to a great extent: 1
• to some extent: 2
• not at all: 3
• business did not require support from the FSA: 4
• Do not read out: don't know: 5

(ask if EU exit has had impact F1-1 or 2)

3. How has the FSA's response to the UK's exit from the EU affected your views of the FSA? Would you say your view has...?

Single code, read out. 

• considerably improved: 1
• slightly improved: 2
• not changed: 3
• slightly worsened: 4
• considerably worsened: 5
• Do not read out: don't know: 6

Ask if respondents views have improved or got worse (F2=1 to 2 or 4 to 5)

4. Why did your views of the FSA change?

Write in:

Don't know: 1

 5. Other than the COVID 19 pandemic and the UK leaving the EU, has there been any other events since 2020 that have impacted your views and interactions with the FSA? (ask all)

Single code, do not read out. 

• yes (please specify): 1
• no: 2
• don't know: 3

G: OTP and Initiatives

Ask all meat, dairy and wine sector

The Operational Transformation Programme (OTP) is designed to modernise the way the FSA delivers regulatory activities in the meat, dairy and wine sector. 

The aim is to move towards a more proportionate risk and evidence-based approach to regulation. The FSA are exploring introducing new technologies in the audit and approvals processes, the potential to take a more risk-based approach to how the FSA utilises it resources and the potential to  use a different regulatory approach following changes to our current legislation.   

1. How familiar were you of OTP and the initiatives which are planned to be introduced by the FSA?

Single code, prompt if necessary.

• very familiar: 1
• somewhat familiar: 2
• heard of them but did not know what they would involve: 3
• not heard of them: 4
•  don't know: 5

2. Have you had any engagement with the FSA directly or via a trade association about the OTP? (ask all heard of OPT (G1=1 to 3) meat, dairy and wine sector)

Single code, read out.

• yes with the FSA: 1
• yes, with a trade association: 2
• with both: 3
• none: 4
• don't know: 5

3. Do you think the OTP initiatives will make it easier or more difficult to comply with FSA regulations? (ask all heard of OTP (G1=1 to 3) meat, dairy and wine sector.

Single code, prompt if necessary.

• a lot easier: 1
• a bit easier: 2
• neither easier nor difficult: 3
• a bit more difficult: 4
• a lot more difficult: 5
• don't know: 6

H: Summary

1. To sum up, please can you say one thing the FSA does well in its dealings with [meat/dairy/wine/shellfish] businesses? (ask all)

Please try and get the interviewee to give three things the FSA does well.

Write in:

Don't know: 1

2. And what one thing can thew FSA improve on in its dealing with [meat/dairy/wine/shellfish] businesses? (ask all)

Please try and get the interviewee to give three things the FSA could improve on.

Write in:

Don't know: 1