NORTHUMBERLAND FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE PUBLIC ENQUIRY DAMNING REPORT

The recently published Northumberland Foot and Mouth Public Enquiry report which runs to 166 pages delivers a damning indictment of the Government and MAFF/DEFRA’s handling of the affair.

The report suggests that by refusing to appear at the enquiry, the Government did a disservice both to Northumberland and itself. Some of the key points reported are:-

1. MAFF’s contingency plans could not cope with the crisis.
2. Consultation and guidance offered by MAFF were inadequate.
3. The Government and MAFF failed to adhere to many recommendations made in the earlier 1968 Northumberland report.
4. The Government failed to call in the army until five weeks into the crisis.
5. The Disease Emergency Control Centre was not set up until five weeks after the first case was confirmed.
6. As a result of Government policy, more animals than may have been necessary were slaughtered due to "at risk" areas being drawn too widely.

Deployment and training of staff was also severely criticised as was the over centralisation of the control structure.