Foot and Mouth Disease

HL Deb 13 December 2004 vol 667 cc62-3WA

Baroness Byford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Following the publication of the report of the European Court of Auditors, whether they will now hold a full inquiry into the handling of the foot and mouth epidemic. [HL146]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)

The Government have already commissioned reports from two independent inquiries into the outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in 2001, namely, the FMD 2001: lessons to be learned inquiry and the Royal Society's report on infectious diseases in livestock. Both of these reports were published in July 2002. In addition, the adequacy of contingency planning for an outbreak, the speed and effectiveness of FMD eradication and the cost-effectiveness of the action taken by the Government was the subject of a comprehensive examination by the Comptroller and Auditor General, whose report was published by the National Audit Office in June 2002. A further inquiry would serve no meaningful or useful purpose.