§ MR. J. W. BARCLAYasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Whether the Government will consent 949 to the appointment, early next Session, of a Committee on the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Acts; whether the Agricultural Department will meanwhile take any steps to obtain definite information regarding the state of health of cattle in the United States; and, whether cattle might safely be imported, viâ Canada, from the Western States, where no contagious disease is reported to exist?
§ MR. DODSONThe Government will carefully consider the expediency of the appointment of a Select Committee on this subject next Session; but I should not like to enter into any engagement on the subject at this distance of time. We receive Reports constantly from our Consuls in the United States and the American Government as to the health of cattle in the United States; and I do not well see that we can obtain more definite information than we do. But, with regard to the third Question, we have not the power, under the 5th Schedule of the Act, to exempt parts of countries; and, therefore, we could not deal differently with the Western than with the Eastern States. It is true that no contagious disease is reported from the Western States; but the hon. Member is probably aware that there is no restriction on removal in the United States, and, therefore, there is, no doubt, the possibility of the introduction of disease from one State to any other State. We have received no case of foot-and-mouth disease in this country from the United States for the space of nearly four months.