§ Mr. A. J. BALFOURasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether it is not the fact that cattle sent from a dis- 892 trict where there is no disease to one where disease is prevalent have to get permission from the local authorities of both places; whether the necessity of obtaining the permission of the local authority in the place to which the cattle are sent is not, under such circumstances, a needless formality; and, whether the Government propose to take any stops towards removing or mitigating this grievance?
§ MR. MUNDELLAIt is not a fact, Sir, that cattle sent from a district where there is no disease to one where disease is prevalent cannot be moved without permission from the local authorities of both places. Animals may be moved from any district which is not comprised in an area infected with foot-and-mouth disease into an infected area with the licence of the local authority of the latter district only. The "needless formality" to which the hon. Member refers of obtaining the permission of a local authority in the place to which the cattle are sent is not imposed by an Order in Council, but by Act of Parliament. By the 4th schedule of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1870—
Animals may be moved into, in, or out of an area infected with foot-and-mouth disease by licence of the local authority.And it seems only reasonable that the local authorities should have the power of regulating the movement of animals throughout their district.