The government is facing calls to act quickly to put procedures in place to prevent a repeat of the 2001 foot-and-mouth epidemic.

In its submission to the DEFRA inquiry into "Lessons Learned", the RSPCA claims that if foot-and-mouth hits the UK again it to a similar amount of damage as it did during last year's epidemic.

Forum Response: RSPCA

Chris Laurence, the chief veterinary officer at the RSPCA, told ePolitix.com: said: "While the RSPCA welcomes the government's efforts to address the issue through discussion groups, the nation is still dangerously exposed to a disease which could bring our farming industry to its knees once again, for the lack of a few simple precautions. It is inexcusable that precautions are still not being taken."

Forum Response: Countryside Alliance

Richard Burge, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, told ePolitix.com: "The Countryside Alliance has long been calling for a full public inquiry into Foot and Mouth, and we have yet to see any signs that one will be forthcoming.

"We need the government not only to behave responsibly on this issue, but also to be accountable to the public on how they plan to proceed. We are broadly supportive of the RSPCA's stance on this issue - what is needed now is swift action and adequate measures taken to ensure that, should another FMD epidemic flare-up, we won't be drawn into the same cycle of horror as last year.

"There is no need to subject the countryside to unnecessary hardships and I would urge the government to act responsibly and quickly by implementing proper safeguards".