§ MR. FETHERSTONHAUGH (Fermanagh, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received any reports on the increased and increasing quantity of American bacon imported into Ireland, and its quality; is there any inspection of this bacon on its importation; has any report been received by the Irish Government connecting the increase of tuberculosis with the consumption of American bacon; and has he any official information showing that numbers of pigs affected with tubercular disease are slaughtered in America, and the flesh sent to the United Kingdom as bacon.
MR. BRYCEThe information at the disposal of the Department of Agriculture shows that there was a considerable increase in the quantity of bacon imported into Ireland in 1905 as compared with 1904. Most of this bacon is American, and is cheaper than, and inferior in quality to, the bacon exported from Ireland. There is no inspection, as far as the Department are aware, of American bacon on importation. Under the Public Health Acts any sanitary officer has power to inspect any meat for sale, intended for the food of man, and to seize the same if it appears to Aim to be unfit for human food. The Department have received no report connecting the increase of tuberculosis with the consumption of American bacon; nor have they any information in regard to the statement contained in the last part of the Question.