This Week at theEHP: 02 July

Welcome to This Week at theEHP, a summary of the articles that appeared on the site over the last week.

This week at theEHP we report on a EFSA scientific opinion, updated E.coli Q&A, the new English Housing Survey Household Report & prosecutions.

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Found an interesting article by Tenancy Relations Officer Ben Reeve-Lewis in Guardian Professional. Ben argues that criminal prosecutions are a poor deterrent in illegal eviction and harassment cases and Council resources can be better used supporting tenants in civil claims. A link to the article is available here. Whats you opinion?

Last week we posted an article where the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) warned that the private rental sector faces “gross regulatory overload”. The article referred to a report on the private rented sector by Professor Michael Ball. The RLA have kindly provided a copy of the report. The article has been updated with a copy of the report and the RLA’s response to the report. Get it here.

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Food Safety

Food Safety: EFSA reviews public health risks of poultry meat inspection
Recently published scientific opinion by the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) suggests that traditional poultry meat inspection may not suffice to fully address the most relevant biological hazards to public health: Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp. and ESBL/AmpC gene-carrying bacteria.

Food Safety: FSA updates Q&A on E.coli cross-contamination control
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has today published the third edition of the Q&A on its guidance document E.coli O157: control of cross-contamination. This new version of the Q&A addresses a number of issues that have arisen since the publication of the second edition in November 2011.

Food Safety: Pub landlord fined for hygiene offences
Stephen Taylor (52) of admitted nine hygiene offences under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 and the General Food Regulations 2004, following environmental health inspections in November 2011 at the Bird in Hand public house in Blidworth, Nottinghamshire (Photos on Flickr).

Food Safety: FSA research published in June 2012
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has produced a summary of its research published in June 2012. This includes a comparison of aflatoxin levels between Brazil nut kernels and their shells, and a study evaluating the levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, copper and zinc in samples of fruit and vegetables grown in the UK.

Health & Safety

Health & Safety: HSE prosecutions in brief 02 July – 06 July
Welcome to HSE prosecutions in brief. A selection of this weeks prosecutions by the HSE.

Health & Safety: HSE prosecutions in brief 25 June – 29 June (Updated 06-07-12)
Welcome to HSE prosecutions in brief. A selection of this weeks prosecutions by the HSE. 3 New Articles Added.

Housing

Housing: Household Report 2010-11 & Homes Report 2010 published by C&LG
The English Housing Survey Household Report 2010-11 and English Housing Survey Homes Report 2010 have been published by Communities & Local Government. The key findings and reports are available below.

Opinion: Why councils should take civil action against rogue private landlords
Last year I wrote for Guardian Society about the reservations I had over Shelter’s rogue landlord campaign, which makes the argument that the number of landlords prosecuted by local authorities is low compared to the amount of complaints about bad housing that those councils received (By Ben Reeve-Lewis).

Housing: Brent plans to crackdown on ‘beds in sheds’
Brent Council is drawing up plans to crackdown on ‘beds in sheds’ – outbuildings in residential gardens rented out in contravention of planning rules.

Housing: Landlords fined for failing to license six bedroom house
A pair of unscrupulous landlords have been fined and ordered to pay costs of almost £9000 after Camden Council successfully prosecuted them for failing to license overcrowded student digs.

Housing: RLA – Private rented sector faces gross regulatory overload (Updates 06-07-12)
The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has warned that the sector faces “gross regulatory overload” that serves only to drive up rents at a time when tenants can least afford it.

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British Standards

More British Standards available here.

Vouchers codes for Office Stationery
Here are a couple of discount voucher codes for use on Office Stationery at www.officestationery.co.uk and valid until July 2012.