It's also a classic example of function creep.
CLA president, Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, is quoted as saying:
Quote:
At the time we emphasised the point - over and over again - that people would only agree to participate if DEFRA promised that the information provided would not be used for anything else and we were happy to both support and promote the register on that basis.
Now DEFRA has issued a consultation in which it suggests sharing this 'valuable resource' with other government departments and public bodies - including Natural England, Trading Standards and the Revenue - which hasn't shown itself to be particularly careful with the confidential information recently.
If it wasn't necessary for all these government departments to have all this information before bird flu came along, it is difficult to see why it is now.
Admirably put!