§ MR. FELLOWESI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can see his way to introduce into the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill a clause giving power to the Board 1347 of Agriculture to grant to Local Authorities permission to pay for carcase value of any animal which has died of anthrax?
§ MR. H. GARDNERThe Bill to which the hon. Gentleman refers is a Consolidation Bill, and the introduction of such a clause as that proposed would therefore not be appropriate. In any case, however, I could not undertake to introduce legislation for the purpose suggested, for the reasons which I explained to the hon. Gentleman subsequently to the question he addressed to me on this subject on the 4th of December last.
§ MR. FELLOWESArising out of that question, may I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the Local Authorities have great difficulty in ascertaining information as to outbreaks of anthrax in consequence of the allowance for slaughter and burial being insufficient to encourage owners to give notice?
§ MR. H. GARDNERI am not aware of that; but I may point out that there is already an inducement to owners to report cases, because the Local Authorities at the present time disinfect the premises at their own expense.