HC Deb 11 August 1904 vol 140 cc236-8
MR. ERNEST GRAY (West Ham, N.)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has yet considered the Report of the Select Committee in favour of partial compensation to meat traders who sustain loss when carcases purchased in good faith are subsequently found to be in a tuberculous condition, and are then distroyed in the interests of public health; and whether he would advise His Majesty's Government to introduce legislation in the next session of Parliament giving effect to the Report of this Committee.

The following Questions also appeared on the Paper:—

MR. ERNEST GRAY

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the evidence given before the Select Committee on the Tuberculosis (Animals) Compensation Bill with regard to the injury inflicted on the home trade in bath live and dead pigs, owing to the diversity of practice with regard to condemnation in cases of localised tuberculosis; and whether he will consider the desirability of issuing some regulations which shall protect the home trade against the competition which ensues when foreign-bred pigs are imported with the evidence of localised tuberculosis removed.

MR. ERNEST GRAY

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the Report of the Select Committee on the Tuberculosis (Animals) Compensation Bill, and, in particular to the injury inflicted on meat traders by the want of uniformity of practice in seizing and condemning carcases affected with tuberculosis, and also to the damage inflicted on such traders by conducting publicly the proceedings associated with condemnation in cases where no evil intent is alleged; and whether he will issue a circular to local authorities impressing upon them the necessity for adopting a uniform practice with regard to condemnation and of conducting the proceedings associated with condemnation privately in all cases where no suggestion of criminality arises.

MR. WALTER LONG

My hon. friend has three Questions on the Paper with reference to the Report of the Select Committee on the Tuberculosis (Animals) Compensation Bill, and perhaps he will allow me to answer them together. I have given attention to the Report, but the evidence taken by the Committee has not yet been published, and, in the absence of it, I have not felt myself able to come to a conclusion as to the course which I should adopt as regards the recommendations of the Committee, and any legislation which might be necessary to give effect to them. As regards the compensation recommended, I may point out that the matter concerns my right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer as well as myself, a, it is proposed that the sum to be paid should be provided by the Imperial Exchequer. As regards the other matter to which my hon. friend refers I shall carefully consider them when the evidence appears, and if it seems to me that circulars to the local authorities pressing upon them uniformity of practice would be likely to be useful, I shall be glad to issue them.