Safety Down The Drain

A government U-turn has forced scientists to scale back plans to replace the crumbling Surrey laboratory that triggered the foot and mouth outbreak in 2007.

So much for rigourous standards of health and safety. ‘Close enough for government work’ indeed…

The environment department, Defra, has scrapped a pledge to fund a major redevelopment of the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) lab at Pirbright, where a leaky drain allowed the disease to escape. Experts say that the move threatens Britain's ability to combat the rising threat of animal diseases that will arrive with global warming, and goes against a key recommendation of an inquiry set up by ministers into the 2007 outbreak.

Defra says that costs have risen and the project is now too expensive.

Well, if the government are short of money, why not start by axing this non-job?

The Director of Digital Engagement role requires the successful candidate to develop strategies to communicate with people on popular internet sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Twitter.

The Senior Civil Service position has a starting salary of £120,000 plus 30 days annual holiday but could rise to £160,000 - more than the Chief Whip, Cabinet Minister and Lord Chancellor get before allowances.

We can afford to risk another outbreak of FMD, but the government just has to have a hugely-expensive ‘Twittercrat’ to pump out even more propaganda across the net?