THIS may be your chance to tell the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what you think of some of its policies.

Last Friday, two initiatives were made public by DEFRA:

- Lord Whitty announced a 'horizon scanning' programme to anticipate and be scientifically better prepared for future risks

- Elliot Morley launched a public consultation paper on disease control powers in the Animal Health Bill.

The Animal Health Bill does not advocate any one approach to disease control but "strengthens" the four available main elements of culling, vaccination, blood-testing and biosecurity. Mr Morley said if culling is to be used, it is important to achieve a balance between rapid culling on veterinary grounds as a disease control measure and ensure the powers to cull are not exercised in an inconsistent or unfair way.

This consultation paper is to be available on DEFRA's web site. Written comments can be sent to Dr David Harris, DEFRA, Area 801 1A Page Street, London SW1 4PQ; faxed to (020) 7904 8312; e-mail to ahbillcriteria@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

Lord Whitty's 'horizon scanning' programme is described by DEFRA as an invitation to challenge current thinking and "an important part of anticipating issues likely to be important in the future.

He said it "offers an opportunity for all including those who have in the past been critical of the department's research priorities, to contribute ideas about the direction our scientific research should take".

The science and technology policy research unit of the University of Sussex is to manage the development of the programme and consultation process.

Its proposals will go to an external advisory panel chaired by the director of the National Consumer Council, Anna Bradley. She said the need for such an approach to research had been indicated by NCC work for many years.

The consultation will be primarily conducted on a special web site: www.defra.gov.uk/horizonscanning.

To take part in the consultation, visit the web site; or e-mail to horizon@sussex.ac.uk; or write to Horizon Scanning Project, Environment and energy programme, SPRU science and technology policy research; University of Sussex; Falmer, Brighton BN1 9RF.

Updated: 09:33 Thursday, January 17, 2002