§ COLONEL KINGSCOTEasked the Vice President of the Council, seeing that a cargo of Irish Cattle were landed at the new docks at Sharpness, between Gloucester and Bristol, on the 26th February, and driven thence, without any inspection, through the country to Bristol, a distance of twenty miles, Whether there are other ports in the United Kingdom at which Irish or other Cattle can be similarly landed without inspection; and, whether any local authority has power to prevent this; and, if not, whether the Privy Council will at once exercise their power of inspection to put a stop to this state of things?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONSir, cattle coming from Ireland or from Scotland or from any port in England can be landed at any place in England and be moved inland, subject to such regulations of the local authorities and other regulations affecting English animals as are for the time being in force. In short, as soon as landed they are considered and treated as English animals. In 1874 10 Inspectors were appointed to the principal ports at which Irish cattle are usually landed, for the purpose of informing the Privy Council and the local authorities of the existence of foot-and-mouth disease among Irish animals, but the Privy Council have never attempted, and will never attempt, to treat Irish cattle like foreign cattle. The local authorities have power, under the Animals Order of 1875, to prohibit or regulate the movement of cattle that have been herded or in contact with animals affected with foot-and-mouth disease. Under these circumstances, the Privy Council are not disposed to interfere with the action of the local authority.