§ MR. A. F. JEFFREYS (Hants, North)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that large quantities of French milk are imported into this country from Cherbourg, and that 36,000 gallons were so imported in the month of December last; whether any sanitary supervision or inspection is exercised over the dairies from which this milk comes; whether the milk is inspected in any way on arrival in this country; and whether any outbreak of disease has been traced to the consumption of this milk?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. W. H. LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyAccording to our own Customs returns we imported 3,348 cwts. of fresh milk and cream from 1055 France in December last, of the aggregate value of £1,179. In January the quantity fell to 1,867 cwts., of the value of £469, and last month it was 2,608 cwts., and the value £650. It cannot, therefore, be said that at present these imports have attained any serious dimensions. Any question as to their sanitary supervision or inspection, and as to their effect upon human health, falls within the province of the Local Government Board rather than my own, but I may say that I have communicated to my right hon. Friend the results of an examination of certain samples of the milk, which I arranged should be taken by the Customs officers, and I have been informed that he is in communication with the Foreign Office on the subject generally.