HC Deb 22 May 1882 vol 269 cc1249-50
LORD GEORGE HAMILTON

asked the Vice President of the Council, Whether steps are being generally taken by local authorities to carry out the provisions of the dairies, cow-sheds, and milk-shops Order of July 1879; and, considering the supposed transmissibility of tubercular disease through infected milk, he could take steps to make tuberculosis a "disease" for the purposes of paragraph eight of this Order?

MR. MUNDELLA

We have reason to believe that, except for the purpose of registration, very few local authorities have carried out the provisions of the Dairies Order, as they have no special officers for the inspection of dairies. The Privy Council have been in communication with the Local Government Board on this subject; and inasmuch as the question relates rather to human health than to the prevention of animal diseases, it has been agreed to bring in a short Bill to repeal Section 34 of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, and to authorize the Local Government Board to treat the question as one affecting the public health. The Bill is in preparation, and will shortly be introduced.