§ SIR WILLIAM WEDDERBURN (Banffshire)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether a representation has been received from the Banffshire County Council complaining of the prevalence of sheep worrying, asking him to introduce a Bill to amend the law on the subject, and indicating the directions in which amendments are required; whether he is aware that cases of sheep worrying continue of frequent occurrence; and whether he will state what he proposes to do, by legislation or otherwise, to meet the claims of stock owners for the protection of their property?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. W. H. LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyThe reply to the first and second inquiries is in the affirmative. With regard to the third, I would say that the subject is one which was very fully considered by the Departmental Committee which sat in 1896, and that so far as the recommendations made by that Committee require legislation, I have embodied them in a Bill which I hope shortly to be in a position to introduce. In the meantime we have brought the matter under the notice of the local authorities, with a view to the efficient execution by them of the powers they already possess in regard to the seizure of stray dogs.