MR. CIIANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that a number of invalid persons, who have taken pet dogs to various countries abroad in good faith before the issue of the recent new regulations as to the importation of dogs, will be exposed to inconvenience and, in the event of their premature return, to risk to their health by having to return to 1289 this country with their dogs before 15th March, the day fixed by the new regulations. And whether, having regard to these circumstances, he will consent to defer this date to 15th May on the application of such persons, where reason is shown and it is clear that the dogs were removed before the issue of the regulations.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. HANBURY, Preston)Yes, Sir. The date of 15th March will, I hope, in the great majority of cases meet the difficulty raised by the hon. Member. But where it does not I shall be quite willing to defer the operation of the new regulations on the conditions he suggests.