About SEAC

Code of practice		Recommendations
Register of members' interests (20 KB)		SEAC Subgroups
Publication scheme (160 KB)		Reviews; 1997   (2.37 MB) & 2002
Summary of issues considered by SEAC since 2004 (248 KB)

History

In April 1990 the Consultative Committee on Research (CCR) was re-established as the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), with a wider remit to advise the former MAFF, now Defra, Department of Health (DH) and later, in 2002, the Food Standards Agency (FSA), on matters related to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) and effectively assuming the role of the Southwood Working Party and the CCR.

Terms of Reference

To advise on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) at the request of:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department of Health
Food Standards Agency
Scottish Executive
Welsh Assembly Government
Northern Ireland Executive

Provide independent scientific advice on food safety, public and animal health issues relating to TSEs taking account of the remits of other bodies with related responsibilities.

Provide scientifically based assessment of risk from TSEs to public and animal health and food safety taking appropriate account of scientific uncertainty and assumptions in formulating advice. The committee will convey the nature and extent of such uncertainties with the advice.

Advise on important general principles or new scientific discoveries in TSEs to assist in the identification of new or emerging TSE risks for public, animal health and food.

Advise on the scientific basis and risks associated with the introduction of new control measures or the reduction, phasing out or withdrawal of current control measures which are in place to protect public health or animal health from TSEs.

Identify where research is desirable to reduce the scientific uncertainty and inform the assessment of public and animal health and food safety risks relating to TSEs.

Vacancy advert

An advert (42 KB) for three new Committee members has been published. The closing date for applications is 9 February 2007.