§ MR. CHARLES DARLINGI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has received any information as to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease having occurred in Schleswig-Holstein?
§ * MR. CHAPLINYes, Sir; I regret to say that we have received information of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Schleswig-Holstein. We received a telegram from the English Consul at Hamburg to that effect on March 7th. The outbreak occurred at Schnelsen, Pinneberg, in Holstein, on February 28th, one week before the official notice of the outbreak reached the English Consul. The hon. Member is aware that the Board of Agriculture have already declined to permit the landing of animals from Schleswig-Holstein, that course having been necessary, in the 720 opinion of the Board, as a precaution against the introduction of disease.
§ MR. DARLINGMay I ask if, now that the disease has shown itself in Schleswig-Holstein, it is a fact that the law prevents the Board of Agriculture permitting the landing in this country of cattle from Schleswig-Holstein?
§ * MR. CHAPLINAs I read the Act, in view of the actual existence of disease within the country, I am absolutely precluded by the terms of the Act from relaxing the restrictions.