§ SIR H. MAXWELL (Wigton)In the absence of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Sleaford Division of Lincolnshire, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is yet in a position to lay upon the Table the Report of the Special Commission which was appointed to inquire into the landing from Canada of animals affected with disease; how many weeks have elapsed since the conclusion of that inquiry; and will he afford to hon. Members the opportunity of seeing the Report before 470 proceeding with the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. H. GARDNER, Essex, Saffron Waldon)The inquiry to which my right hon. Friend refers did not take the form of an inquiry by a Special Commission, and consequently there will be no Report in the ordinary acceptation of the term. I propose, however, to lay on the Table, as I have already stated, a reasoned Minute analysing the evidence which I have received and setting forth the conclusions at which I have arrived. The viva voce examination of witnesses was concluded on the 10th ultimo; but since that date it has been necessary to scrutinise very carefully the various references cited by some of the experts examined, and the subject is so full of technical and scientific detail that some delay in the presentation of the further Papers promised has been unavoidable, but I hope it may not be long before they are available. The Bill to which my right hon. Friend refers is a Consolidation Bill pure and simple, and has been critically examined from that point of view by the Joint Committee of the two Houses. It does not appear to me that the Papers promised as to the Canadian question would be of any assistance to the House in determining whether or not the business of consolidation has been accurately performed, and I should hope that the right hon. Gentleman would, as in other cases, be willing to accept the assurance of the Joint Committee on that point.