THE EARL OF MANSFIELDasked Her Majesty's Government:
The total number of dairy herds in Scotland and England which are officially free from brucellosis at the present time, together with the relative percentage of herds, and number of cows, in each country.
§ LORD BESWICKUp to the end of January, 2,382 herds containing dairy cattle had been registered as accredited under the Brucellosis (Accredited Herds) Scheme in England, as had 262 such herds in Scotland. These represent respectively 1.4 per cent. and 0.7 per cent. of all herds in each country, and 3.5 per cent. and 1.9 per cent. of the total eligible cattle.
THE EARL OF MANSFIELDasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are aware that the unsatisfactory progress that is being made in clearing the dairy herds of Great Britain from brucellosis is due to there being in existence no adequate scheme of compensation for the owners of animals which have been thus found infected and have to he destroyed; and whether, in view of the continuing danger to human health, they will immediately confer with the agricultural industry with a view to the introduction of a satisfactory solution.
§ LORD BESWICKThe reasons for the Government's approach to the problem of brucellosis were fully set out in a Statement made in another place on November 2, 1966, by my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture's predecessor. In view of this and of the906WA good measure of progress that has been made in building up the register of brucella-free herds under the Brucellosis (Accredited Herds) Scheme, there is no reason to believe that the existing arrangements are inadequate, or that there is any special need now to confer with the agricultural industry, with whom close contact is in any case maintained.