It is disappointing that it required persistent questioning from the Committee over a period of three months before the Department provided answers to all our questions regarding the initial response to foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in Europe. This reflected cultural and bureaucratic issues within Defra that impeded effective scrutiny and timely adherence to parliamentary processes, ultimately creating barriers to public transparency. We are encouraged by the Minister’s commitment to improve transparency and the handling of correspondence with the Committee. (Conclusion, Paragraph 20)