§ MR. HEYWOOD JOHNSTONE (Sussex, Horsham)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if the Board has arrived at any definite conclusion as to the possibility of cattle disease being introduced into the United Kingdom by imports of hay, straw, or other food stuffs from places where disease has existed; and whether any and what steps have been taken, or will be taken, by the Board to guard against any possible danger of that nature?
§ MR. H. GARDNERI have given careful consideration to this matter in conjunction with my professional advisers, and the result is to confirm the view I indicated a few days ago. There is no evidence that disease has at any time been introduced in the manner suggested in the question; and the danger, if any, is certainly not of such a character as to justify me in proposing the prohibition of the import of feeding-stuffs—a measure which would be most inopportune at the present time. Short of prohibition, I do not think any measures are practicable which would assist us in the detection and extirpation of disease.