§ MR. CHAPLIN (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can say what is the estimated cost of the execution of the Swine Fever Bill in England and Ireland during the present and the next financial year respectively; and what will be the limit of Imperial funds at the disposal of the Board of Agriculture and of the Lord Lieutenant and the Privy Council in Ireland during those periods for the purpose of the Bill?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. H. GARDNER,) Essex, Saffron WaldenIt is not possible for us to make any very close estimate of the cost of the execution of the Swine Fever Bill by reason of the uncertainty which exists as to the real extent of the disease; but on the assumption that during the period from 1st November to 31st March next we have to deal with 100 outbreaks per week in Great Britain and an aggregate of 800 in Ireland, we estimate the maximum cost, at £104,700 and £32,000 respectively. It is too early for us as yet to make any precise estimate for the year 1894–5, and before it is requisite for us to do so we shall, I hope, be in possession of some experience of the actual working of the measure; but I may say that, assuming that during that year we have 4,000 outbreaks to deal with in Great Britain and 1,400 in Ireland, the figures submitted to me show a total estimated expenditure of £193,600 and £60,000 respectively. I hope, however, that the actual expenditure may fall as far short of these amounts as fortunately proved to be the case with plenro-pneumonia. The Imperial funds available to meet the ex- 998 penditure up to the 31st March, 1895, will be the balances on the plenro-pneumonia account, which at the moment we estimate at £92,700 and £40,000, and a sum not exceeding £50,000 to be provided by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the purposes of the Bill.