§ MR. DUCKHAMasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Whether the Privy Council will now put in force the provisions of "The Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1878," in order to stamp out pleuro-pneumonia from the herds of the United Kingdom; the disease being now confined to a very few herds?
§ MR. DODSONI am glad to be able to state that this disease has been steadily declining since the passing of the Act of 1878; and it is much to be desired that local authorities should exercise more freely than they do the power which they possess, under Section 21 of that Act, of slaughtering healthy animals that have been in contact with diseased animals. The Privy Council are constantly calling the attention of local authorities to the expediency of adopting that course; but I must remind my hon. Friend that the Privy Council has not any power to order the slaughter of healthy animals in the case of an outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia. That power rests entirely with the local authority.