EVEN for a Government as keen on commissions, quangos and working parties as this one, ten separate inquiries into foot and mouth is a little excessive.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Margaret Beckett announced a three-pronged investigation yesterday.

One will scrutinise the handling of the outbreak; a second will be a scientific review; and a third will examine the future of farming and food in Britain, although it is hard to see how this can be considered independently from Europe.

These can be added to the seven inquiries already looking at different aspects of the foot and mouth disaster. And the outbreak is not even over yet.

Mrs Beckett rejected calls for an "all-singing, all-dancing public inquiry". Instead, the singing and dancing will be done in private. Most of the evidence will be heard behind closed doors.

How very convenient. Ministerial mistakes are not to get a public airing.

The Government's financial justification for this decision is not valid. A public inquiry would cost more, certainly. But in the context of the huge sums already spent on containing the disease and compensating farmers, the price difference becomes almost inconsequential.

Mrs Beckett also believes her multiple-inquiry approach will prompt quicker results. Farmers and the public will agree that time is of the essence. But a properly-structured public inquiry can make swift progress.

The Government should have established one public inquiry under the control of a single, independent inspector. He or she could then have appointed deputies to consider the different aspects covered by Mrs Beckett's many inquiries.

That inspector would also be tasked with providing an interim report with immediate recommendations. The inquiry would then have gone on to consider the wider implications.

Foot and mouth has cost taxpayers billions of pounds. We have a right to know whether this was money well spent.

The decision to deny us a public inquiry is another example of a Government that promised openness hiding behind a cloak of secrecy.

Updated: 10:20 Friday, August 10, 2001