Every environmental health practitioner will be aware of the principle of the "home authority" - a vital aspect of successful co-ordinated local authority food enforcement and trading standards services throughout the UK.

However, a valid criticism that is often levelled at the home authority principle (HAP) is that those authorities that are home to large numbers of company head offices within their area, do not have the necessary resources in practice to deliver an adequate home authority service. In addition, while the basic premise of the HAP is quite simple, the details can be confusing when all the lines of communication and additional complications are taken into account.

David Lock, policy officer at Lacors (Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services), reiterates the basic rules behind the HAP and explains how the standard can be enhanced by local authorities to improve consistency. If that leaves you wanting to know more, then a dedicated session at this year's annual conference will look at the challenges ahead for this recently renamed organisation.

This month's cover feature on housing and health is also tied in closely to a topic that will be debated at depth during conference. Following on from last month's fuel poverty feature (EHJ, August, page 244), which looked at some of the reasons why fuel poverty has become a government priority, John Shenton takes a critical look at the current government approach to tackling the situation, and questions the progress being made. Depressingly, he wonders whether the Government's goal to eliminate fuel poverty by the end of the decade is more fantasy than reality.

Another key Government focus is the reduction of atmospheric pollution levels. A recent study to measure and review emissions to air from small-scale animal carcass incinerators has thrown up some interesting results and recommendations. Alan Collings summarises the work programme and findings for EHJ.

Finally, I hope to be able to catch up with some of you at this year's conference, while for those readers who are unable to make it we will be publishing a full conference round-up next month.

Tracey Khanna
Editor