MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, having regard to the uncertainty and frequent Joss accruing from the purchase of native 374 cattle owing to the law not providing compensation for tuberculosis, will the Government accelerate the issue of the Bovine Tuberculosis Report, and meantime compensate owners for seizure and confiscation?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. H. FOWLER,) Wolverhampton, E.I am informed by the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis that it is impossible to give precisely the date of the termination of the work of the Commission and of the presentation of their Report. This will depend mainly on the issue of the experimental inquiries which are still being carried on. It is stated, however, that as far as can at present be calculated the experiments on animals will be concluded by the end of April, or within a fortnight of that date, and before the end of June it is anticipated that the whole of the microscopical investigations will be completed and the Reports of the three Sub-Inquirers will be in the hands of the Commission. Their deliberation thereon will follow, and their Report will be presented as soon as possible afterwards. The Government are not prepared to make proposals to Parliament with respect to compensation until that Report is presented.