§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)To ask the hon. Member for South Somersetshire, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he is aware that under the Order of 26th January, 1906, regulating the movement of swine from Ireland, no pig bought in a fair can be shipped to Great Britain, so that dealers are compelled to buy at the farmers' houses, and then go for a permit to the police barracks, often miles away, testifying that the animal has not been sold in a fair; and whether, seeing that as the police are often not able to make the inspection quickly before signing the licence, loss of time and friction arises, and journeying is imposed on the police and the dealers, he will say what number of cases of swine fever exist in Ireland to justify so stringent an order; and will the Government do anything to modify it at the earliest moment.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The Order regulating the movement of swine from Ireland to Great Britain has recently been modified so as to permit of the importation of store swine from Ireland, under conditions which are practically identical with those imposed on the movement of swine from one part of Great Britain to another, under the Swine Fever (Regulation of Movement) Order of 1903. I am afraid that we cannot undertake further to modify the Order at the present time, but we will communicate with the Irish Department of Agriculture, with a view to ascertain whether the arrangements as to the counter-signature of declarations can be improved. Seven outbreaks of swine fever have been reported in Ireland during the nine weeks ended the 3rd instant.