FMD inquiry rejects cronyism accusations

Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Rural Affairs

It has been quite evident - throughout the foot and mouth crisis - that the Government has had no appetite for a wide-ranging public inquiry.

Nothing would have been easier for ministers than to promise one: every time an awkward question arose, they could have deflected it by saying: "of course such matters will be investigated thoroughly in a public inquiry once the crisis is over."

But instead, they bent over backwards NOT to make such a commitment. What's more, we were told again and again that the shape of any inquiry could not be decided until the outbreak was over: until then, it wouldn't be clear what issues needed to be dealt with.

The outbreak is not yet over. There were five more cases yesterday. Yet suddenly - out of the blue - the Government has announced no fewer than three inquiries, none of which is to be held in public.

Holiday interrupted

The Secretary of State, Margaret Beckett, was rushed back from her holiday in France, so that she and her junior ministers could spend the day trying to explain what on earth was going on - with varying degrees of success.

All this frenetic activity was in clear contrast with the official caution from the start. At one particularly tense moment in April, the Environment Minister, Michael Meacher, told the Countryside Forum that a public inquiry would unquestionably be held.

Within hours Downing Street let it be known that Mr Meacher had spoken out of turn. Naturally, Mr Meacher told The World at One the following day he agreed entirely with the Prime Minister on the matter.

No one can fault Whitehall and Westminster for their enthusiasm for setting up committees of one sort or another.

The three new inquiries come on top of seven more investigations already discussed or promised - three by select committees of back bench MPs, covering agriculture, tourism and public finances, one by the National Audit Office into the use of public funds, one by the Food and Veterinary Office into European aspects of the affair, and one by the Royal Society concentrating on Scotland.

The last is a possible inquiry by the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Government announce inquiry into the Foot and Mouth crisis

Now we have the independent inquiries unveiled by Margaret Beckett: on the scientific lessons of foot and mouth, including the question of whether vaccination would have been a useful tool: an examination of the future of farming; and - most contentiously - on the lessons to be learned from the way Government handled the outbreak.

This last inquiry will be chaired by Dr Iain Anderson, a businessman who has - in the past - acted as a Government adviser on the Millennium bug. Speaking to the BBC today he strongly rejected he was one of 'Tony's cronies'.

Concerns

A number of specific concerns have been raised about the arrangements for the Anderson inquiry on how the government handled the crisis.

Dr Anderson's own reputation as an adviser close to government - the fact that witnesses cannot be compelled to appear, and will not be giving evidence on oath, and that the government itself cannot be compelled to hand over documents - it hardly seems the best way to inspire public confidence.

Professor Hugh Pennington of Aberdeen University chair ed the inquiry into the Scottish E.coli outbreak, which was held in public: he told the World at One he felt strongly that foot and mouth deserves the same treatment.

The Agriculture Minister Elliot Morley told us why he was happy with the launch of the inquiries.

Click on the audio links at the top right of this page to hear these interviews.