There are many pests and diseases which could threaten our crops, gardens and wild plants. Some of them are absent from the UK, or from Europe as a whole. Defra's plant health service works with importers, growers and the public to keep the most damaging plant pests out of the country and to eradicate outbreaks when they occur.

Decisions on the action to be taken against a particular pest are based on a process called "pest risk analysis", and are usually co-ordinated across the EC. DEFRA's Central Science Laboratory is recognised as one of the main centres for pest risk analysis in Europe, producing or revising around twenty analyses each year.

Defra launched a consultation today on how to use publication of these pest risk analyses to improve decision making and to enable growers, traders and gardeners to contribute more easily to the discussion about which measures are appropriate for each pest.

The consultation also sets out Defra's proposed approach to the release of information about outbreak sites where statutory action is being taken against a pest or disease. The proposal is that generally more information on the geographical location of outbreak sites should be made public, but that individual names and addresses should not be released unless there is a clear need to do so to prevent spread of the pest. Comments are invited on this approach.

Full details of the consultation are available on Defra's website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/current.htm

The closing date for responses is 18th February 2005.