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- MediaGuardian,
- Tuesday February 5 2002
The foot and mouth crisis
Five media groups have been permitted to argue the case for press freedom in a court challenge to the government's refusal to hold a public inquiry into last year's foot and mouth epidemic.
In a high court judicial review, farmers and local businesses affected by the outbreak are seeking to overturn the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs' decision to hold the "lessons to be learned" inquiry behind closed doors.
The review is scheduled to begin on February 18.
The BBC, Associated Newspapers (which publishes the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard), Telegraph Group (which publishes the Daily and Sunday Telegraph), Mirror Group Newspapers (which publishes the Mirror and Sunday Mirror), and Guardian Newspapers will be covering the hearing.
Mr Justice Maurice Kay allowed the companies to put their case as interested parties under article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which relates to freedom of expression and the right to receive and impart information.
Liz Hartley, the media groups' solicitor, said the press should be entitled to report the progress of the inquiry and the evidence placed before it.
She said the courts had ruled repeatedly that any derogation from the fundamental right to freedom of expression and information must be justified convincingly.
"The reasons advanced by Defra for holding a private inquiry - efficiency and speed - are not sufficient to justify any interference with this right," Ms Hartley said.
The application follows a recent landmark decision to allow CNN to film the proceeds of the inquiry into the deaths of more than 400 patients in the care of the jailed GP, Harold Shipman.
