A GOVERNMENT admission that contingency plan resources to deal with last year's foot and mouth crisis were inadequate was published for the first time this week.

The admissions were made in a 19-page written response to the Devon Foot and Mouth Inquiry and published in its final report on Tuesday.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) contingency plan included emergency vaccination — ring vaccination was also an option, but was never used because by the time the disease was identified, it was too late.

The plan — which DEFRA admits was largely internal and aimed at officials and vets — was backed up and updated by 84 risk simulation exercises carried out between 1995 and 1999.

In response to the inquiry, DEFRA stated: 'It has to be recognised that the size and scale of the outbreak was unprecedented. Accordingly, the outbreak exceeded the ability of the resources available under the contingency plans to deal with it effectively.'

The department now says it is 'fully ready and equipped' to deal with any future outbreak.

'For the future, a revised contingency plan will be more inclusive, building on the newly forged links between DEFRA and its stakeholders at both national and local level, and will be informed by the outcome of the Lessons Learned Inquiry,' stated DEFRA.

The department also expressed 'regret' for the distress caused to the family living next door to the giant Ash Moor disposal site near Petrockstowe.

They were asked to move and given fewer than 24 hours notice of work beginning at Ash Moor — work started because of 'intense' local need to dispose of animal carcasses.

DEFRA said the site, which cost £3.6-million to construct, had been 'effectively mothballed' but had remained in a 'state of maintenance against possible future operational use'.

In response to questions about the harmful effects of pyres on Devon's tourist industry, DEFRA said disposal policies would be considered by the Government's national inquiries, as would the policy of contiguous culling.

'The contiguous cull was an approach based on a general scientific and veterinary judgement, with provision for proportionate exceptions at local level based on local veterinary judgement,' said DEFRA.

'Independent studies have demonstrated that without the culling policy adopted, the outbreak would have been far worse, and, indeed, cases could still be occurring now.'