HC Deb 09 February 1900 vol 78 cc1052-3
MR. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture, in view of the fact that the Executive Committee for the County of Suffolk resolved on the 6th instant that it is strongly desirable that a modification of the Order of the Board of Agriculture of 31st January should be made, so as to enable fat cattle to be moved for slaughter, that the district comprised in the Order is unnecessarily large, and that the Board of Agriculture be requested to vary their Order to meet the foregoing, and that occupiers of land should be allowed to move their sheep and cattle across or along highways intersecting their own occupation, where it is more than three miles from the infected area; whether he is prepared to introduce at once into the Order modifications similar to what has been asked for in the case of Norfolk, in accordance with the first and third recommendations; and whether he will also reconsider the extent of the scheduled area, in accordance with the second recommendation, if it can be done without risk, especially having regard to the fact that districts in Suffolk, nearly forty miles from the scene of the outbreak have been included in that schedule.

* THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. LONG,) Liverpool, West Derby

The new Order which comes into operation to-day is applicable to the Suffolk portion of the district as well as to the Norfolk portion. I cannot as yet sanction the reduction of the area of the district, but the situation is carefully considered from day to day, and I shall be very glad indeed to find myself able to modify the severe restrictions we have felt it necessary to impose in the interest of stockowners generally.

MR. F. W. WILSON (Norfolk, Mid)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can state how many fresh cases of foot and mouth disease have occurred in the present week; and whether any petty sessional division which has been scheduled, where no fresh outbreak has occurred for seven days, can be reopened for the movement of cattle for slaughter.

* MR. LONG

Two further outbreaks of foot and mouth disease have occurred in the scheduled district during the present week. I cannot at the moment sanction any further modification of the existing restrictions, the position being stall a very serious one, but it is carefully considered from day to day, and the hon. Member may be sure that relief will be given at the earliest possible moment consistently with the safety of the country as a whole.