§ MR. CHANNING (Northampton, East)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has now come to a decision as to the portions of the recommendations of the Commission on Tuberculosis which can and ought to be carried out without delay, and especially as to the recommendations made to secure the purity and wholesomeness of milk? Whether he is aware that a considerable number of town councils and other local authorities are bringing on Bills to extend their own powers locally to deal with the purity of milk, and to restrain the sale of milk from diseased cows? Whether he has considered the resolutions passed by the British Dairy Farmers' Association and by the Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture on this subject, to the effect that there should be a general Act passed dealing uniformly with this question? And, whether he will introduce a general Bill to secure better protection of the consumers from tuberculosis infection in milk throughout the country?
THE PRESIDENT OP THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARDThe answer to the first paragraph, so far as it relates to matters affecting the Local Government Board is in the affirmative. The answer to the second and third paragraphs is also in the affirmative. With regard to the fourth, I doubt if a General Bill is required to secure better protection to consumers from tuberculosis infection. I propose for that purpose to issue an Order extending the definition of "disease" in the Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Order of 1895, so as to include in the case of a cow such disease of the udder as shall be certified by a Veterinary Surgeon to be tubercular. This will have the effect of prohibiting the milk from such cows from being 343 mixed with other milk, and from being sold or used for human food. Upon various other matters dealt with in the Report of the Commission and affecting the question of public health—which I think may be met by Regulations—I am sending a Circular to the Local Authorities.
§ MR. CHANNINGMay I ask whether the Order the right honourable Gentleman contemplates will render unnecessary and cover the same ground as the isolated proposals of the local authorities.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARDThe isolated proposals of the local authorities referred to deal with the cattle themselves.
§ MR. JEFFREYS (North Hants)Has my right honourable Friend considered the probability of tuberculosis being introduced by foreign meat and foreign milk? If so, what steps has he taken?