§ MR. ALBERT GREYasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Whether the recent outbreak of Foot-and- 610 Mouth Disease at Newstead Abbey has been traced to the importation of that disease from Ireland or any Foreign Country?
§ MR. KENNYBefore the right ton. Gentleman answers that Question, I would ask him if he is aware that Ireland has been free for several months from foot-and-mouth disease; and that on every occasion on which it has broken out in that country the outbreak has been directly traced to infection from Great Britain?
MR. TEEVELYANIt is certainly the case that Ireland has been free from foot-and-mouth disease generally for a very long time, and it has been entirely free from any outbreak for several months. I am quite sure that nobody will acknowledge that more readily or freely than my hon. Friend who has asked this Question; because his interests are precisely the same as those on behalf of which the hon. Member asked the Question. The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at Newstead Abbey was investigated by an Inspector of the Privy Council; but no facts were ascertained which threw any light on the origin of the infection. There is not the slightest reason to suspect that the outbreak was due to the importation of the disease from Ireland or any foreign country. The last cargo in which there was a case of foot-and-mouth disease landed at any port in the United Kingdom was as far back as February.