Progress made in response to foot and mouth

MORE than half of recommendations made to the Scottish Government following an expert review into its handling of foot-and-mouth disease have been met.

A progress report found that 31 of the document’s 52 recommendations had already been taken on board or were under regular review. The report follows the review of the government’s response to the 2007 outbreak of the disease.

Scottish farmers were included in an export ban on animal products in the summer four years ago after the discovery of the virus on a farm near Guildford in Surrey.

The government commissioned the review, led by Professor Jim Scudamore, following the incident.

The progress report has been launched to coincide with the three-year anniversary since the review’s publication in 2008.