Cumbria FMD Inquiry: Inquiry Schedule

The whole Inquiry Panel meets for the first time on Wednesday 1st May 2002. The first public hearing commences on 10 am Tuesday 7th May in Kendal County Offices, Council Chamber and runs to Friday 10th May.

The second hearing takes place in the City Council Chamber in Carlisle Civic Centre from 28th to 31st May. There will be the following additional OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS: Tuesday 14th May - Ulverston Coronation Hall - all starting at 7 pm (access from 6.30pm) Wednesday 15th May - Appleby Public Hall Thursday 16 May - Longtown Memorial Hall The Cumbria FMD Inquiry formally opens on the morning of the 7 May 2002 in the Council Chamber, County Offices, Stricklandgate, Kendal. The first morning will concentrate on general issues about the outbreak. Witnesses currently identified to give evidence during these formal sessions are as follows:

Tuesday 7 May am - General evidence:

Cumberland News BBC Radio Cumbria Brigadier Alex Birtwistle

pm - Agricultural session:

Veronica Waller NFU Suzanne Greenhill Thomas Lowther, Whitbysteads Hill Farm

Wednesday 8 May am - General evidence session two :

Nick Green, Heart of Cumbria Mick Elliott, Director of Safety Services, Cumbria County Council Geoff Brown, Hefted flocks

pm - Business (non-tourism):

Viv Dodd, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce or Chris Holmes, Carrs Milling Ken Devonald, Federation of Small Businesses Brian Lightowler, Small Business Service

Thursday 9 May am - Tourism & ourism Business session:

Chris Collier, Cumbria Tourist Board Jennifer Hogg, Appleby Town Council John Walker, Cumbria Crisis Alliance

pm - Community Issues:

Andy Beeforth, Cumbria Community Foundation/Cumbria Recovery Fund County Councillor Gary Strong, Councillor for Penrith Rural Dr Jim Cox, Northern Fells Rural Project

Friday 10 May am - Environment session:

Nick Mason, RSPB Charles Flanagan, National Trust Paul Tiplady, Chief Exec, Lake District National Park

pm - Health session:

Peter Tiplady, Director of Public Health (North Cumbria) Ron Hargreaves, pyres and their effects John Cook, Lakeland Veterinary Association

Morning sessions run between 10 am and 12.30pm and afternoon sessions between 2 pm and 4.40pm. In addition there will be half hour sessions at the end of each half day for an OPEN FORUM where the Panel will invite questions from the floor.