FORMER Agriculture Minister Nick Brown will be put on the spot tomorrow on the Government's handling of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

He will attend the European Parliament's inquiry committee and will become the first British Minister to give evidence publicly on the outbreak.

The Government has rejected calls for a full public inquiry in this country.

Conservative Europe MP Robert Goodwill, who farms near York, wrote to Mr Brown and invited him to give evidence at the European Union inquiry in Brussels.

Mr Brown will give a statement to about 30 committee members before answering questions.

North-East Tory Europe MP Martin Callanan will be one of those questioning Mr Brown.

Mr Callanan will ask him questions directly relating to the effect of the epidemic on the region.

He said: "The outbreak originated in Northumberland, so I will be asking him how the disease got there.

"There are also question marks about the handling of the situation in Northumberland and whether people received enough help.

"He will be asked about a whole range of issues addressing things such as whether the continuous culling of animals was successful, to what degree did political factors influence decisions, why was the Army not drafted in earlier and how did foot and mouth get into the country in the first place."

The inquiry will sit for a year to consider the outbreak.

As it sits in public, Mr Brown will face the TV cameras when he gives evidence.