HC Deb 16 May 1895 vol 33 cc1310-1
MR. LEES KNOWLES (Salford, W.)

On behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, in view of the fact that the Commission on Bovine Tuberculosis has been proceeding for the past five years, and that numerous questions have been asked thereon, whether the Government have delayed the practical consideration of this matter; and whether they expect to be able to announce their decision within a reasonable time?

MR. LEES KNOWLES

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether Her Majesty's Government will recommend that the scope of the inquiry of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the effect of food derived from tuberculous animals on human health shall be extended so that the Royal Commission may further inquire and report on administrative procedures available for reducing the amount of tuberculous material in the food supplied by animals to man?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. G. J. SHAW LEFEVRE,) Bradford, Central

The Royal Commission on Tuberculosis issued their report a few days ago, after a prolongued inquiry. The evidence which has been taken during that time has not yet been issued. The Report makes no recommendations. The Commission has arrived at various conclusions of fact as to the existence of tuberculosis in animals, and as to the possibility of its being communicated to consumers of meat and milk. These conclusions appear to point to the expediency of an extension of the system of inspection of dairies, slaughterhouses, and butchers' shops, and possibly to the general establishment of public slaughter-houses. Until the evidence taken by the Commission is published, and time has been given for the consideration of the very large and difficult questions involved, I shall be quite unable to state what the intentions of the Government are upon these matters, or whether it is desirable to have a further inquiry as suggested by the hon. Member for West Salford.

MR. LEES KNOWLES

asked whether the right hon. Member would issue directions to magistrates, sanitary inspectors, and other officials, as to what meat they should condemn, and what meat they should not condemn.

MR. SHAW LEFEVRE

said, that he did not think he had any power to issue such directions. The inspectors of meat were appointed by the local authorities.