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The President, members of Council and members of staff at REHIS wish everyone in the Scottish and international environmental health community a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Ken Macintosh MSP (pictured) yesterday stated that he had secured agreement from Scottish Government ministers to allow amendments to the Public Health etc (Scotland) Bill currently going through Parliament.

The Government is minded to allowing the Bill to being amended at Stage 2, which would bring in controls on unstaffed sunbed parlours and restrict use to over 18s only. Having to provide customer information would also be a requirement.

The details emerged at a meeting of the Health and Sport Committee, scrutinising the Bill. As well as the MSP, the Committee heard evidence from John Sleith, representing REHIS and Kathy Banks of The Sunbed Association.

Robert Howe has taken over the reins of the REHIS Presidency for the next year from outgoing President Bernard Forteath. The handover of the chain of office took place at the Institute’s Annual General Meeting on 22 November in Edinburgh.

This successful event, which was attended by over seventy members and non members, was held in Edinburgh on the morning of Thursday 22 November. Presentations were given by Dr Colin Ramsay, Consultant Epidemiologist, Health Protection Scotland, on the Anthrax Incident in the Scottish Borders, Lucy Smith, Public Health Bill Team, Scottish Government, on the Review of the Scottish Public Health Legislation, Valerie Sneddon, Project Co-ordinator, Communities Scotland, on the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and Rosemary Davidson, Public Health Nutrition Adviser, NHS Tayside, on Healthy Eating in Scotland.

The process of developing a national food policy commenced with an Open Space consultation event in Dundee on 8 October 2007.The event was sponsored by the Scottish Government Food Industry Unit.Sixty five participants from organisations all over Scotland were asked to address the question – What are the key issues that need to be considered in a National Food policy for Scotland?
The Institute was invited to participate in this discussion and was represented by Graham Walker, Director of Training.
The full report of the meeting is attached.

Places are still available on this free to members training event which will be held in the Menzies Belford Hotel, Edinburgh on the morning of Thursday 22 November. An interesting programme covering the Anthrax Incident in the Scottish Borders, the Review of the Scottish Public Health Legislation, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and Healthy Eating in Scotland has been put together. Non-members are very welcome to attend; the delegate fee for non-members is £40.00. Registration forms are available from the REHIS office. Members please note – the 2007 Annual General Meeting will be held at the same venue on the afternoon of Thursday 22 November.

A group of Maltese EHOs arrived in Scotland last month on a self-funded trip to undertake a programme of technical visits to a wide range of food production and processing premises with HACCP being an integral part of each visit. Bernard Forteath, the President of REHIS welcomed the delegation to the REHIS Offices in Edinburgh and expressed his thanks to EHO colleagues in North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Glasgow City Council, South Ayrshire Council and Renfrewshire Council for their assistance in putting an excellent programme of visits together.

The Scottish Executive, DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government have jointly issued a consultation on the proposed EU Soil Framework Directive and initial Regulatory Impact Assessment.
The consultation is designed to assist in developing a robust negotiating position on the proposed EU Soil Framework Directive. The consultation paper seeks views on the need for new EU legislation on soil protection, on the scope of the proposed Directive, the costs and benefits associated with it, and on the detail of the proposed provisions.
The consultation closes on 19 October 2007. However, in view of the intention of the Portugese Presidency to discuss this proposal at the October Environment Council (30 October 2007), stakeholders are invited to submit their responses ahead of the deadline if possible.
Full details of the consultation can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Current

HMP Edinburgh is an Approved Training Centre delivering REHIS Elementary Health and Safety Courses for inmates and prison catering staff. Following the successful completion of the first Elementary Health and Safety Course delivered in a Scottish prison Graham Walker, Director of Training took the opportunity to present Paul John Manley and Stewart A Smith, two of the successful course participants, with their REHIS Elementary Health and Safety Certificates. Possession of this industry recognised qualification provides participants with the knowledge to help them to carry out their job safely and provides holders with an advantage when seeking employment. REHIS welcomes the investment in health and safety training at HMP Edinburgh and is wholly supportive of the endeavours of the Governor and staff involved.
Pictured with Graham Walker are, left to right, David Curr, Catering Trainer, HMP Edinburgh, Paul John Manley, Stewart A Smith and Graham Walker.

The 1st All Africa Environmental Health Congress was held in the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya from Monday 27 August until Thursday 30 August, 2007. The Congress attracted approximately 700 delegates from all over Africa and was formally opened by Mrs Charity Kaluk Ngilu MP, Minister of Health, Kenya. Papers were presented by environmental health colleagues from all over the world, including REHIS members Tracy Morse and Tony Grimason. The IFEH AGM and annual Council meeting took place on the Saturday and Sunday prior to the opening of the Congress.

Pictured
Back row
Mohamed Karama – President, Association of Public Health Inspectors, Kenya; Steve Cooper – Treasurer IFEH; Peter Archer – CIEH.
Front row
Steen Fogde – Envina, Denmark; Jerry Chaka – South Africa; Mrs Charity Kalouk Ngilu MP – Minister of Health; Bernard Forteath – President, REHIS/President Elect, IFEH; Mr Kepha Ombacheo – Chief Health Inspector,Kenya

The Institute presented a very successful exhibition at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh from the 10th to 13th September. The exhibition, which was sponsored by Stewart Maxwell MSP an Honorary Vice President of REHIS, gave MSPs and their researchers an opportunity to discuss a range of issues with Members of the REHIS Council and staff and to find out more about environmental health and the work of the Institute. Along with REHIS information booklets and leaflets a number of briefing notes on current environmental health issues were on display and all seven are available for downloading below.

Pictured at the Exhibition – Stewart Maxwell MSP with Bernard Forteath, REHIS President.

The current Scottish Executive consultation on the Environmental Impact Assessment of Reserved Matters Applications is open until 19 September 2007.
The Paper sets out the proposals for amending Part 11 of the EIA (Scotland) Regulations 1999 to transpose into Scots law the requirement that consideration must be given to the need for EIA before determining a planning application for approval of reserved matters.
The document can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/26172457/0