§ MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)I beg to ask the hon. Member for North Huntingdonshire, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he will now take into consideration the admission of live cattle and sheep, for slaughter at port of entry, into this country from Argentina, in view of the time which has elapsed since the permission to admit such live cattle was withdrawn, the probability that disease has ceased in the Argentine provinces, and the promptitude with which the last outbreak was detected and entry of contaminated cattle stopped.
§ MR. AILWYN FELLOWES (Huntingdonshire, Ramsey)Foot-and-mouth disease existed in Argentina so recently as February last, and it would not, therefore, be possible for the Board, consistently with their statutory obligations under the Diseases of Animals Acts, to withdraw the prohibition against the importation of animals from that country.
§ MR. KILBRIDE (Kildare, S.)What period must elapse between the announcement that the Argentine is free from disease and the admission of the cattle to this country?
§ MR. AILWYN FELLOWESIt must be a good long time.