Transparency data

Minutes of the themed meeting of the Welsh Food Advisory Committee (WFAC): 9 July 2026

Updated 8 October 2026

Applies to Wales

1. Present:

1.1 Welsh Food Advisory Committee (WFAC) Members Attending:

• Dr Rhian Hayward, MBE, Chair
• Georgia Taylor
• Helen Taylor
• John Williams
• Dave Holland
• John Richards
• Ifan Lloyd
• Lindsay Horth

1.2 Food Standards Agency (FSA) Officials Attending:

• Sian Bowsley, Director for Wales
• Peter Quigley, Incoming Director for Wales
• Sioned Fidler – Head of Communications, Welsh Language and Business Support
• Lucy Edwards – Senior Business Manager
• Christie O’Keefe – Business Manager
• Sarah Aza – Head of Delivery
• Jonathan Davies – Head of Strategy
• Chun-Han Chan – Head of Consumer Protection

1.3 Presenters:

• Reginal Bevan – Deputy Head of National Food Crime Unit (NFCU)
• Andy Bartram – Senior Intelligence Analyst, NFCU
• Simon Ashwin – Senior Investigator, NFCU

2. Introductions, apologies and minutes of the last meeting

The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting. No apologies were noted. The minutes of the May 2026 meeting were agreed.

3. Declaration of interests

No new interests were declared.

4. National Food Crime Unit (NFCU)

Reginald Bevan gave an overview of the NFCU, including its role, remit and operational priorities. He explained that the unit began in 2016 as a small intelligence team following the horsemeat scandal and subsequent Elliott Review, expanding in April 2020 into a fuller enforcement capability. He explained that the unit now had around 82 staff and was broadly split between intelligence and investigations. He also described the mixed professional backgrounds of the team, with staff drawn from policing, local authorities, meat inspection and other enforcement environments.

He provided detail of the NFCU’s capabilities, including the use of intelligence bureaus, regional intelligence officers, confidential human sources, access to certain covert surveillance powers under RIPA, financial investigation and information-sharing arrangements with policing and other enforcement agencies. Reg was clear that the NFCU does not possess full police powers such as arrest powers, so the unit often has to work in partnership with police forces and other authorities when criminal enforcement escalates.

Andy Bartram presented on how the NFCU develops its annual control strategy. He explained that the unit uses a law-enforcement style framework based on the “4Ps” of pursue, prevent, protect and prepare, or in some cases a “3P” model where pursue sits outside the NFCU’s remit. He emphasised that the control strategy is not simply a list of topics; it is the mechanism by which the unit prioritises threats, fills intelligence gaps and guides operational work.

He described how intelligence is drawn from a range of sources, including the unit’s own systems, local authority intelligence databases, sampling failures, horizon scanning and engagement with partner bodies. He explained that previous and current priorities have included edible oils, honey, protected designation and geographical indication products, adulteration and substitution risks, and misrepresentation issues that are difficult to identify by testing alone. He also stressed that topics removed from the current year’s priorities are not forgotten but remain under review and can be reintroduced if emerging evidence justifies it.

Committee members probed the basis of the intelligence picture, especially the underlying surveillance and sampling data used to support commodity risk assessments. In response, the NFCU and FSA Wales explained that all failed FSA samples are uploaded into the relevant systems and can inform future prioritisation. It was further noted that Wales has funding routes for additional food standards sampling and that there are regular discussions between the NFCU and sampling colleagues on where targeted work would be useful.

Simon Ashwin presented two case studies illustrating the scale and complexity of financially motivated food crime. The first concerned the illegal slaughter, processing and distribution of meat products through a network spanning rural supply routes and urban markets, highlighting serious concerns around hygiene, animal welfare, traceability, public health and organised criminality. The second involved animal by-products that had been written off for non-human consumption being diverted back into the food chain through unlawful processing and distribution. Both cases demonstrated the importance of telephone analysis, traceability work, industry cooperation and multi-agency collaboration in identifying offending, disrupting supply chains and securing enforcement outcomes. The discussion also emphasised that these investigations often expose wider networks and ongoing market incentives, meaning that sustained intelligence-sharing between the NFCU, local authorities, industry and other partners remains essential.

WFAC discussion - Committee members explored how food crime risks are identified and prioritised, seeking greater understanding of the intelligence sources, surveillance activity and sampling data that underpin the National Food Crime Unit’s assessment of emerging threats. Members discussed the challenges associated with detecting some forms of food fraud, particularly where claims relating to origin, assurance status or religious designation cannot be easily verified through conventional testing alone. The discussion highlighted the importance of using multiple sources of intelligence, alongside regulatory and industry expertise, to build a more comprehensive picture of potential risks.

Members also reflected on their own experiences of working with the NFCU and welcomed the Unit’s collaborative approach to prevention and engagement. Positive examples were shared of outreach work with Welsh food businesses, industry bodies and local authorities, which has helped improve awareness of food crime risks and strengthen resilience across food supply chains. There was broad agreement that effective information sharing between regulators, industry and enforcement partners remains essential in identifying concerns at an early stage and preventing criminal activity from becoming established.

The committee took a particular interest in issues affecting Wales, including intelligence relating to illegal sheep slaughter and the production of “smokies”. Members discussed the importance of local intelligence and considered how knowledge within rural communities, farming networks and supply chains can support enforcement activity. The discussion also highlighted the need for continued collaboration between the NFCU, local authorities, Welsh Government and industry partners to address emerging risks and strengthen consumer protection.

Members questioned how the Unit was adapting to new challenges, including increasing intelligence volumes, evolving criminal methods and emerging technologies. Discussion covered opportunities and limitations associated with the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics, particularly in identifying unusual patterns within supply chains and animal movement data. While recognising the potential of new technologies, members noted that effective intelligence gathering continued to depend heavily on information from businesses, regulators, partners and the public.

The discussion concluded with consideration of the longer-term challenges facing food crime enforcement, including resource pressures across the regulatory landscape, the complexity of modern supply chains and the importance of maintaining strong partnerships across sectors. Members welcomed the insight provided by the NFCU and agreed that tackling food crime requires a coordinated approach that combines intelligence, prevention, education and enforcement to ensure food remains safe and what it says it is.

5. Chair’s update

The Chair gave an oral update on the June Board meeting in Newcastle and provided an update on recent engagement activities relating to allergens and meetings with DPPW and WLGA colleagues.

6. Director’s report (Paper 26/07/02)

Sian Bowsley presented her final paper as Director for Wales and introduced Peter Quigley as her successor. Reflecting on her twenty months in post, Sian praised the commitment of colleagues, local authorities, stakeholders and partners across Wales to ensuring food is safe and what it says it is. She highlighted the appointment of Nerys Evans as Deputy Minister for Public Health and Prevention, planned ministerial engagement at the Royal Welsh, and work with Welsh Government on its new food plan and first 100-day commitments.

7. Any other business

Members noted that the next themed meeting would be on 22 October 2026.

The Chair closed the meeting.