HC Deb 23 August 1881 vol 265 cc729-31
SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOT

asked the Vice President of the Council, Whether the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the county of Lancashire is very serious; if he will state the number of cases that have occurred in that county during the present month; and, if he will state whether outbreaks of the disease have also taken place in other counties?

MR. MUNDELLA

, in reply, said, that the hon. and gallant Member had put a Question to him on this subject a few days ago, and he had then stated, in answer to it, that there had been only one outbreak in Lancashire reported to him that day, and that he did not think it was of so alarming a character as the hon. and gallant Gentleman seemed to suppose. He had the statistics for the whole of the year, and they bore out the statement which he then made. The number of outbreaks in Lancashire of foot-and-mouth disease during the present month was 35. In May last there were 64. The fact was that the number of outbreaks during the last three months had only been 10 in excess of the number in the month of May. The number of outbreaks in other counties this month was as follows:—In Cambridgeshire, 17; in Derbyshire, 63; in Leicestershire, 57; in Norfolk, 45; in Northamptonshire, 128; in Staffordshire, 30; and in Yorkshire, 35. The number in Lancashire, as he had said, was 35; so that Lancashire was almost at the bottom of the list, having regard to its size, as compared with other counties. In the first week of this year there were 256 outbreaks throughout England and Wales, while last week the number was 145. They had brought the number down on the 1st of April to as low as 20 for the week; but immediately the markets were opened the number of outbreaks began to increase, and they went up from 20 to 26, 55, 73, 94, 105, until they reached 149 last week, showing that the real danger was in throwing open the markets and in the movement of diseased cattle. But, at the same time, his hon. Friend would perceive that there was no real ground for alarm with regard to Lancashire in particular, which was very much better than the Midland Counties. The whole of the disease throughout the country was about one-half what it was in the month of January of this year.

SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOT

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he could inform the House how many cattle were affected, inasmuch as the statement of an outbreak did not convey a distinct idea; it might be a very small or a very large outbreak?

MR. MUNDELLA

could not say; but on the average the numbers ran very much the same in the different outbreaks. He had not the exact number of cattle affected, but he would endeavour to get it. It would appear in the Return later on.

MR. CROPPER

asked whether the disease extended to Scotland.?

MR. MUNDELLA

replied, that he was very glad to say that Scotland was entirely free from the disease, and Ireland too. The precautions taken during the autumn with regard to the importation of cattle had prevented any outbreak in those countries.

MR. J. HOWARD

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether the Department had any intention of closing the fairs and markets during the autumn?

MR. MUNDELLA

said, that depended very much on circumstances. The great opponents of the closing of the markets were the farmers themselves. [Mr. J. HOWARD: No!] Well, that had been his experience. The pressure that was put on the Department in April of this year by Members on all sides of the House to open the markets was such as obliged them to leave them open, very much to their regret, as he believed if they had remained closed for another month they should have entirely stamped out the foot-and-mouth disease. When the time came that they could with the least possible inconvenience close the markets they would be happy to do so. He was glad to hear from his hon. Friend that there was no opposition on the part of the farmers as to the closing of the markets.

MR. J. HOWARD

said, that perhaps he might be allowed to suggest that when the right hon. Gentleman received opposition at the closing of markets he would ascertain whether the opponents were bonâ fide farmers or were dealers. He thought he would find that in the majority of cases they were dealers.

MR. MUNDELLA

said, they had always done so.