§ MR. MANSFIELDI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will give particulars of the cases of outbreak of swine fever in the Spalding Division of Lincolnshire which have necessitated the closing of the markets of Spalding, Holbeach, Boston, and other places; and also whether he will consider the advisability of putting a cordon round the area of the outbreaks in preference to closing the whole of the markets available for the small holders and farmers of the district.
§ MR. HANBURYThere have been thirty detected outbreaks of swine fever in the area referred to since the beginning of July. Several of them have been traced to the markets referred to. The system of allowing no movement over the whole area except after twenty-eight days' detention in one place has been found to be the most effective method of extinguishing the disease in the district. If the hon. Member suggests that free movement should be permitted within the whole area, but no movement outward should be allowed, this would mean the spreading and continuance of the disease within the area. If he suggests that there should be thirty small areas in which alone movement should be prohibited, and in all the rest of the present area movement should be free, there is no guarantee whatever that the diseased swine are all included in those thirty areas, and the disease would therefore continue to spread over the district outside them.
§ MR. JOYCEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if, owing to the vital importance of this question to an important trade in Ireland, it would not be possible to allow the witnesses to give their evidence in public? What is there to conceal?
§ MR. HANBURYIt is a matter for the Committee to decide. I do not see any special reason why the ordinary rule should be broken.
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY (Limerick, W.)Is it not usual for the press to attend these inquiries?
§ MR. HANBURYNo, Sir.