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F&M hauliers 'overpaid'

27th June 2002, Page 7
27th June 2002
Page 7
Page 7, 27th June 2002 — F&M hauliers 'overpaid'
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• by Miles Brignall Many of the hauliers who took part in last year's foot and mouth clean-up were over-paid, according to an independent public spending watchdog.

Last week the National Audit Office published a report into the outbreak which puts its total cost at a staggering 28bn. Although it highlights errors made by ministers and MAFF officials— including the lack of a proper contingency plan— it also focuses on over-payment to many of the contractors brought in to help eradicate and clear up after foot and mouth was found at farms across the country.

The report predicts that the bill for measures to deal with the epidemic will reach nearly 21.3bn. It puts the cost of haulage and disposal at 2375m, including 238m paid to a single operator, Snowie.

Foot and mouth disease was first found at an abattoir in Essex in February 2001. By the time the disease had been eradicated in September 2001 more than six million animals throughout the UK had been slaughtered.

At the time CM ran several stories appealing for operators with tippers to come forward help in the disposal programme.

According to the NAG, many operators wh did come forward were overpaid. It says many the contracts were awarded without any compel tive tendering, accusing the authorities of failingl monitor the work being carried out.

The Freight Transport Association, whir helped assemble a list of available vehicles fr MAFF and latterly the army, says it's easy to forgE how desperate the situation was.

"They were asking for large numbers of real quite specialist vehicles at short notice," sa} spokesman James Hookham. "There were fear about contamination of vehicles and the impact would have on future work. The rates were alwa, going, not unreasonably, to reflect that."

He points out that the FTA was not involved setting rates and did not handle any of the mone CM reported at the time that organisation problems meant that vehicles were standing id awaiting instructions. "That was hardly the fault the operators, was it?" says an FTA spokesma


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