HC Deb 07 May 1901 vol 93 cc944-5
MR. LAMBERT

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if any particulars have reached him of the cause of nearly three times as many outbreaks of swine fever occurring in the week ending 27th April as compared with the corresponding period of last year; if so, will he state them to the House.

*MR. HANBURY

I regret that the increase in the disease during the last three months has been great. The number of outbreaks has of course fluctuated very largely in various years, and last year the number was exceptiontionally small. The disease is very much more difficult to deal with than pleuro-pneumonia, or even foot-and-mouth disease, on account of the fact that so many of the animals affected do not present external evidence of the disease. I am not satisfied that the local veterinary surgeons adequately carry out the instructions of the Board when dealing with swine fever cases in their behalf, and I am applying to the Treasury with a view to increasing the number of veterinary surgeons in the direct employment of the Board; I am at the same time taking steps to ensure on the part of the local veterinary surgeons a fuller compliance with our instructions. The magistrates, I am sorry to say, do not always deal with failure to report the disease in such a manner as to discourage such a mischievous evasion of the law.