THE MASTER OE ELIBANK (Edinburgh, Midlothian)To ask the hon. Member for North Huntingdonshire, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, in view of the representation addressed to his Department by the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture on the subject of swine fever in Midlothian, he now proposes to take steps to remove the grievances of Midlothian farmers and stockowners in this connection.
(Answered by Mr. Ailwyn Fellowes.) The Board could not, at the present moment, advise the counties adjoining Midlothian to alter the local regulations they have recently adopted for the protection of their districts. Should, however, the present favourable position as regards swine fever in the south-eastern counties of Scotland be maintained they would be prepared to consider favourably any representations which might be made to them by the counties concerned to impose the Swine Fever (Regulation of Movement) Order over a group of those counties in place of the different local regulations now existing. By this means the area in which free movement was possible would be enlarged to the extent of the counties absorbed in the combination.