HC Deb 23 March 2004 vol 419 cc698-9W
Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department withheld any evidence on the origins of the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak from Dr. Iain Anderson's inquiry. [161521]

Mr. Bradshaw

[holding answer 15 March 2004]: A full report on the origins of the outbreak was submitted to Iain Anderson's inquiry and is published alongside the inquiry report. That was based on wide-ranging evidence including rigorous epidemiological investigation.

Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether evidence prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's vet Mr. J. Dring in respect of her inspection of Burnside Farm, Northumberland during early February 2001 was presented to Dr. Iain Anderson to assist him with his inquiry into the cause of the foot and mouth disease outbreak. [161522]

Mr. Bradshaw

[holding answer 15 March 2004]: Mr. Dring contributed to the epidemiological investigation underpinning the Department's official submission to the Inquiry on the origins of the outbreak. His inspection of Burnside Farm on 24 January 2001 was also discussed at a meeting in Newcastle with lain Anderson on 4 March 2002. Both the submission and the report of the meeting were published alongside lain Anderson's final report of his Inquiry.

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