§ MR. F. A. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether effect will be given to the recommendation made last 1547 August by one of Her Majesty's Commissioners on Agricultural depression, and now made again in the recently issued Report of the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis, that facilities should be provided at the expense of the State for the voluntary application of the tuberculin test to cattle, with a view to the gradual elimination of tuberculosis by the Danish method; and whether a Supplementary Estimate will be presented for this purpose?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTUREAs the honourable Member is aware the Report of the Royal Commission to which he refers was only circulated on Tuesday last, and the minutes of evidence and other documents are not as yet available. In any case, however, it is, I think, clear that it would be premature for me to submit to my right honourable Friend any proposals for expenditure in the direction suggested until representative agricultural bodies have had an opportunity of considering the recommendations made by the Commission, and I am in a position to form some idea as to the extent to which stockowners would be likely to avail themselves of the facilities proposed to be given.
§ MR. CHANNINGHas the right honourable Gentleman considered the statement in the Report that only £5,625 is required to initiate experiments which have proved so successful in Denmark?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTUREUntil I have received a further Report I cannot possibly make any recommendation to the right honourable Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ MR. CHANNINGI shall draw attention to the matter on the Votes.