Tony Blair's handling of the foot and mouth crisis is to remain high on the political agenda with criticism from MPs on a Commons select committee and the news that the government's record on the epidemic is to be scrutinised by the National Audit Office.

MPs on the Commons culture select committee, yesterday, attacked the government's lack of support for the tourism industry, criticising the rejection of a £35 million recovery bid by the English Tourism Council. The committee described the lack of funding for English tourism as "grotesque".

The NAO, parliament's spending watchdog will consider the government's treatment of the epidemic and whether taxpayers money was well spent. The report will be followed by a public accounts committee investigation in the next parliament.

English Nature have recommended that some parts of the English uplands should not be restocked with sheep after the foot and mouth outbreak is over and should revert to near wilderness.