§ MR. BRODIE (Surrey, Reigate)To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether in view of the fact that The Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1906, will be in force in a few weeks time, the Board of Agriculture, if they have not already done so, will will take immediate steps to frame regulations, as they are empowered to do, as to the manner in which the analyses under the Act should be made.
§ MR. BRODIETo ask the hon. Member for South Somerset as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether the Board of Agriculture realise that it is possible in many cases, for instance under sampling regulations, Section 6, sub-section 1 (iv), for the analyst to obtain the full amount of nitrogen or none, and that there are various ways, well known to experts, by which an analyst can, within limits, obtain any result he desires or thinks desirable unless he is directed to a well-defined and universal procedure; and if so, whether the Board will take steps to secure uniformity of procedure in regard to analyses throughout the country.
§ (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.)Perhaps I may be allowed to answer these two Questions together. There is much to be said in favour of the 1254 issue of regulations having for their object the securing uniformity in the methods of analysis, and the matter is now receiving careful consideration. With regard to my hon. friend's second Question I can only say that no regulations can ensure satisfactory results if the analyst is intent on fraud, and that in every case of chemical analysis the honesty and capacity of the analyst must be assumed unless the contrary is proved.