§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the cost was of the preparation and production of the Government's interim response to the report of the BSE inquiry, Cm 5049; and to whom it was distributed. [151596]
§ Mr. Nick BrownThe Government's interim response to the report of the BSE inquiry was prepared with contributions from Ministers and officials in many Government Departments in Whitehall and the devolved Administrations. Providing a figure for the costs of this work would be possible only at disproportionate cost. The production and distribution costs of the response are estimate at about £11,000.
The response was distributed to a very wide range of organisations. More than 500 copies were sent to organisations representing consumers, health and welfare organisations, food producers and manufacturers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, agricultural interests, environmental interests, scientific and research bodies and Government advisory committees.
The full list of those consulted was distributed with the response under cover of an official letter dated 9 February 2001, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House.