§ MR. JOYCEOn behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the total cost to date of the Commissions to enquire into bovine tuberculosis; when the Commission at present sitting is likely to issue its report; and whether the Government will consider the advisability of adopting the principle of compensation for confiscation in connection with tuberculosis seizures.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)I am not in a position to give the information asked for on the first point referred to in the Question, viz., the cost of the Commissions. The matter is one for the Treasury. As to the second point, I have already replied to three Questions by the hon. Member this session as to when the Commission is likely to report, and I am not able to add anything to those answers. I cannot give any promise as to the matter referred to in the last part of the Question, especially whilst the Report of the Royal Commission is pending.
§ MR. JOYCEWill the right hon. Gentleman seriously consider the question of giving compensation to those people who had absolutely no knowledge of tuberculosis being present and had therefore no control over it.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am quite alive to the difficulties to which the hon. Member refers, and as they constitute one of the chief questions for inquiry, obviously it is impossible to make any legislative proposal until the Royal Commission has reported.
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the question when the Report has been issued?
§ MR. WALTER LONGCertainly; it will be my duty to do so.