Letter: BSE scandal won't go away

Sir: Dogs developing a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy like BSE (report, 28 April); 6,117 BSE carcasses buried; blood transfusions may actually be a risk ... why should this come out three days before an election? Full marks to The Independent for finding it out and letting us know, but could it be that the Ministry of Agriculture would rather that this data came out then than into the hands of a new government? Hidden information leads to public or judicial inquiries ... and the ministry wouldn't want that, would it?

If I can give the incomers some advice, there is plenty more hidden than they are telling you and the lack of adequate research will not be obvious. An inquiry really is needed or the new government will continue to be blamed for the errors of the past.

Dr STEPHEN DEALLER

Medical Microbiologist

Burnley,

Lancashire