§ MR. HOUSTON (Liverpool, West Toxteth)To ask the hon. Member for North Huntingdonshire, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether his attention has been called to the danger of a fresh meat famine in this country, and the consequent higher prices of meat, due to strikes and other causes in the United States of America; and whether he will consider the desirability of permitting the importation of live cattle into this country from the Argentine to be resumed forthwith under such safeguards as to the safe and humane conveyance of the animals by sea and protection against the introduction of contagious disease as may be imposed by the Board of Agriculture.
(Answered by Mr. Ailwyn Fellowes.) We have noticed the statements which have recently appeared in the daily Press as to the possible effects of the reported strike amongst butchers and meat packers in the United States. The Board are under statutory obligations to prohibit the landing of live animals whenever the 161 condition of an exporting country as regards disease is unsatisfactory. The 'continued existence of foot-and-mouth disease in the Argentine renders it, therefore, impossible for the Board to withdraw the prohibition against the landing of live animals from that country.