Volume 11: Scientists after Southwood
3. The Tyrrell Report
Discussion

3.68 On 5 January 1990 Dr Pickles minuted Mr Roger Freeman and pointed out that time had not been wasted between completion of the Report and its publication. Although it had not been published, those who needed to act upon its recommendations, such as the Research Councils, had access to pre-publication copies. Accordingly, much of the high-priority work was already in progress at the time of final publication. ¹

3.69 Professor Bourne reiterated this view during his evidence to the Inquiry. He said that the delay in publication made very little difference to the implementation of the research, particularly with respect to the IAH and the NPU. He explained: 'There may have been some small delay, but I do not think that is significant.' ² Similarly, Dr Will did not think the delay in publication had affected his work on CJD surveillance, as it was something originally recommended by the Southwood Working Party. ³ Dr Watson added that most of the work at the CVL was in progress, and was not particularly influenced by funding. ⁴

3.70 It may be that no time was lost as a result of the delay in publishing the Tyrrell Report, although we are not convinced of this. Publication of the Report would have acted as a spur to the speedy identification of how the recommended research was to be funded. Whether or not delayed publication resulted in delayed research, we believe that the better course would have been to publish the Report promptly after it had been delivered. This would have accorded with the policy of openness which Mr Gummer was to introduce when he became Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It would also have informed the outside world, and in particular the scientific world, of the likelihood of research opportunities, which could have led to a degree of competition for some of the projects. As it was, the CVL and the NPU proceeded to prepare to implement most of the high-priority projects without the peer review that the Tyrrell Committee had advised they should receive.