Volume 9: Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
1. Introduction
Structure of the volume

1.15 Parts 1, 2, and 3 of this volume look in turn at Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We start with Wales, because the legislation and administrative arrangements there were closest to those of England. We then look at Scotland and finally Northern Ireland, where the differences were most marked.

1.16 The format we have adopted in each of the three Parts is as follows:

• an introductory section explaining the main features of livestock and meat production in that country, and related industries;
• a description of the statutory framework and responsibilities within which BSE was handled;
• a chronological account of significant events and action where this diverged from or challenged the Whitehall line; and
• comment on the adequacy of the response in the light of all these matters, and a summary of our findings.

Ministerial and organisational charts for the respective Agriculture and Health Departments are annexed to each Part as background.

1.17 Part 4 looks at some general features of the relationships between Whitehall and devolved administrations. It ends with an overview and summary of our main findings, followed by an annex on comparative BSE legislation, a general Who's who and a Glossary of many of the terms used throughout this volume.