§ MR. PRICE (Norfolk, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he will confer with the Treasury as to providing a fairer system of compensation in cases in which the necessary restrictions to prevent spread of cattle diseases cause great loss to individuals for the benefit of the community.
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. LONG, Liverpool, West Derby)I fully recognise the hardship and loss which are from time to time occasioned by the restrictions on the movement of stock which we find it necessary to impose with a view to prevent the spread of contagious disease amongst animals. It would be useless, however, for me to hold out any hope that it would be practicable to devise any scheme whereby compensation could in such circumstances be paid out of public funds. The hon. Member will remember that considerable relief to local funds has been given in recent years by reason of the transfer to the Exchequer of much of the cost of administration and of the slaughter of animals previously borne by local authorities.