Audit Office wants views on virus


5 October 2001



Audit Office wants views on virus

By Isabel Davies

PEOPLE affected by foot-and-mouth are being urged to e-mail the National Audit Office with their views on how the outbreak has been handled.


The NAO, an independent body which judges how government departments use their resources, wants views from people such as vets and farmers.


It is one of a clutch of organisations who announced an inquiry before the government finally revealed it would have three investigations of its own.


As part of its investigation into how the crisis has been handled, the NAO is looking for comments on four key questions, said an official.


It wants to know whether the former Ministry of Agriculture was adequately prepared to deal with a major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.


It also wants to know whether contingency plans were effective.


Officials will try to ascertain the total cost of the outbreak both in terms of wider expenditure as well as economic and environmental costs.


They are looking for comments on how levels of compensation were determined and whether enough was done to control against irregularities.


The organisation hopes to publish its final report next year.

See more