Volume 16: Reference Material
7. The organisation of MAFF and DH, 1986-96
Introduction: the purpose of this commentary

7.1 This commentary explains the background to the two sets of charts following it, which illustrate the organisation of the two Departments that played the major part in the BSE story: the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) and the Department of Health (DH). ¹

7.2 The commentary enlarges upon what the charts show and describes the key structural changes introduced during 1986-96 which affected staff dealing with BSE and vCJD. Such reorganisation is relatively common within Whitehall, and reflects changing and evolving work priorities and policies.

7.3 The charts have been prepared by the Inquiry and represent its understanding of the available printed sources and evidence, which are not wholly consistent. The charts illustrate the position at particular key dates. They show:

• The overall structure of each Department, excluding those parts which had no involvement with BSE. They show how and where BSE work fitted into the structure as a whole and indicate the range of other policies and functions for which senior staff in particular - ie, those at Grade 5 (Assistant Secretary) and above - were also responsible. No senior officials and few below Grade 5 would have spent all their time on BSE-related work. ²
• The BSE-related areas of both Departments in more detail, with the names of the key staff and when they held the relevant posts.
• What these key staff did, focusing on the parts of their work relevant to BSE; these job descriptions are not comprehensive.

7.4 As vol. 15: Government and Public Administration explains, Government Departments were hierarchical structures, although the generic titles given to units at different levels varied across Whitehall. The titles used in MAFF and DH are described in the sections on each Department.