To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what support has been offered to food processing and packing facilities in respect of COVID-19 personal protection equipment protocol and assessments.

Thank you for your question in relation to those DAERA supportive measures that have been offered to food processing and packing facilities in respect of COVID–19 personal protection equipment (PPE) and assessments.

Firstly, I would like to express my thanks for your recognition and concern for those working in the Agri – Food Industry during these challenging times.

It is worth noting that my Department’s scope of responsibility extends to the meat processing sector, and that the responsibility for processing and packaging of other food-stuffs lies primarily with the Food Standards Agency and Local Council Environmental Health Departments.

In response to, and from the outset of this crisis, my officials have facilitated regular (often daily) meetings between the relevant representative industry bodies, individual food business operators (FBOs), Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland (FSANI), Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) and the Public Health Agency (PHA). The principal objective of these meetings and associated communications is to ensure that industry are familiar with and implementing the latest PHA and HSENI guidance, which is primarily aimed at ensuring a safe and hygienic working environment for all personnel and minimising the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the workplace.

These fora have proved hugely beneficial, providing attendees with the opportunity to engage with PHA, HSENI and other relevant officials on a range of COVID-19 related control issues including the appropriate use of PPE and development of associated protocols. In addition, HSENI, as the enforcement authority have strategically rolled out a series of unannounced inspections across the meat processing sector to verify compliance with all relevant public health guidance. Assessment of PPE usage and protocols has been a central theme of these inspections.