PROFESSOR Hugh Pennington will highlight major shortcomings in food safety when he delivers his final report into the E-coli outbreak to the Scottish Office today.
Scotland's top E-coli expert will enhance January's interim report with more recommendations to improve safety across all levels, from the abattoirs to the local butcher shop.
A spokesman for the Scottish Office yesterday confirmed the report would be published, without delay, on Tuesday afternoon.
He said: ''We do expect to receive the report on Monday and the Government will publish its response on Tuesday.
''People seem to think because there's a General Election looming there would be a delay. There will be no delay.''
Prof Pennington was recruited to investigate the Lanarkshire epidemic, which claimed the lives of 18 pensioners, making it the world's second worst E-coli outbreak.
His report is understood to be critical of Government delays in implementing food safety guidelines.
It is also expected that abattoirs will be urged to regularly improve hygiene standards and those failing the standards will be targeted by the Meat Hygiene Service.
The report also will call on farmers to ensure their animals are clean before being slaughtered.
It will recommend a review of how information is distributed to the public and highlight the need for further research into why the incidence of E-coli in Scotland is so high.
Scots Secretary Michael Forsyth has been under mounting pressure not to delay the publication of the report.
Labour candidates Dr John Reid and Mr Frank Roy feared the Scots Secretary may have delayed publication because of the General Election.
Dr Reid, candidate for Hamilton North and Bellshill, said yesterday: ''Michael Forsyth's excuse for his recent non-appearance in public was his need to prepare a response to Pennington.
''If that's true, he can have no excuse now for withholding publication, even by days.
''There must be no more cover-ups, nor more delay. Too many people have suffered.''
Mr Roy, successor candidate to the retired Motherwell and Wishaw MP, Dr Jeremy Bray, said he would do anything in his power to ensure immediate publication.
He added: ''Throughout the whole E-coli epidemic, the people in Motherwell and Wishaw felt they were constantly being told too little, too late.
''I knew people who died and people who were hospitalised during the epidemic and I will do everything I can to make sure this can never happen again.
''I think Michael Forsyth would leave it until after the election if he could get away with it but we won't let that happen. The people have the right to know the truth and know it immediately.''
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