It occured to me, while in the pub this evening, that the Civil Contingencies Bill could be directly related to the Foot and Mouth crisis. According to Private Eye, many of the actions taken by the government were illegal, and the compensation cost an absolute fortune. The litigation against the government could add in a massive cost as well.
Imagine another Foot and Mouth crisis with the Civil Contingencies Bill in place. This time there will be no possible implication of unlawful activity, since the government would be immune, and no requirement to pay compensation to any farmers at all.
Is that how we really want the government to deal with a crisis? With no fear of litigation and no requirement for compensation, they could go a great deal further next time.
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