HC Deb 04 April 1898 vol 56 c20
MR. A. F. JEFFREYS (Hants,) Basingstoke

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can state whether the foreign fresh milk imported into this country is inspected at the port of entry for the purpose of analysis; if so, how many samples have been taken; whether any information has reached him of illness arising from the use of this milk; and whether there is any sanitary inspection of the dairies where this milk is produced, similar to that which is enforced in this country?

MR. T. W. RUSSELL

There is no system of inspection for the purpose of analysis such as that suggested, but I am informed that some samples of milk imported from France were taken for analysis in the months of December and January last, at the request of the Board of Agriculture. I have not received information as to illness arising from the use of this milk. I am not in a position to state what are the arrangements for the sanitary inspection of dairies in the different countries from which milk is received in this country, but I believe that information bearing on this question has been collected by the Royal Commission on tuberculosis, and this will, no doubt, be published in connection with their report.