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In submitting this data local authorities are advised that the numbers of FTE posts provided should reflect the actual proportion of time spent by professional and administrative staff on food hygiene and/or food standard issues.  There is, however, no prescriptive guidance given on exactly how that time should be determined and the FSA recognises that figures supplied will often be 'educated estimates'.  The FSA is aware that local authorities calculate the proportion of time using a variety of different methods which means that the validity of making direct local authority to local authority comparisons is limited and any conclusions drawn from doing so must be treated with caution. It is for this reason, that the FSA uses the data only in a generic way to compare year on year figures to look at overall trends in the number of FTEs in local authority food law enforcement services across the UK or in individual countries.     
In light of the above, if you intend to use the FTE data for comparison of individual local authorities, we would advise strongly that you contact each authority directly to discuss how their estimates were derived. This will also provide an opportunity to ensure that the data you have is up-to-date.  
NP - no premises given at this risk rating NR - no interventions due or reported  

(1) Food hygiene and food standards written warning data may be reported 
together  
(2) Food hygiene and food standards data reported together (3) Food hygiene and food standards full time equivalent posts reported together (4) Only deal with food standards