Volume 1: Findings and Conclusions
11. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

1095 BSE was a UK-wide threat needing a UK-wide response. That was speedily and sensibly agreed by all concerned once it was apparent that BSE extended throughout the United Kingdom. By common consent, MAFF and DH took the lead role. In order to simplify our exposition of a highly complex and extended series of events we have in our Report mainly concentrated on the actions of MAFF and DH in England and the legislative measures that they introduced. These applied to or were copied by the other three parts of the United Kingdom. We in turn have copied the terminology that they often used in describing themselves collectively as the Territories.

1096 In vol. 9: Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, we have been concerned to see how the links between central government in London and government in the Territories functioned in relation to BSE. We have been particularly interested in identifying the extent to which the Territories sought to play an independent role or to make an independent contribution in relation to the handling of the disease. In this chapter we shall set out a summary of our main findings about the role of the Territories.

1097 We found no fundamental differences in the nature of the response to BSE throughout the UK. Like their colleagues in Whitehall, Ministers and officials in the Territorial Departments worked closely together. Decisions were taken on the basis of submissions and discussions. Where there were minor or temporary variations from the general UK line in their actions, these did not in our view bear on the course of the disease or expose animals and humans to a significantly greater or lesser degree of risk.

1098 It was plain from all the evidence that the Territorial Departments were strongly influenced at first by the MAFF perception of BSE as purely an animal disease. They then found this perception confirmed by the Southwood Report. The risk to humans was remote. The Report gave 'quite a comforting message'. It is difficult not to infer that this perception, coupled with the Government's drive towards 'lifting the burden' of regulation from industry must, as elsewhere, have tempered enforcement zeal.

1099 Nonetheless, officials pressed ahead diligently with the agreed precautions.

1100 Inevitably with a canvas covering ten years, and a vast complex of administrative actions, there were things that could with advantage have been done a little differently and perhaps a little better. However, we were not looking for perfection. We were interested in the light thrown by some of the failings we noted on the way collective government works among Departments with different geographical responsibilities, rather than different functional ones.

1101 We note first some features of what happened in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and then set out some more general findings.