§ MR. LUTTRELL (Devonshire, Tavistock)To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether be is aware that great inconvenience is caused to farmers by the regulations affecting sheep-dipping, in that they may have to dip their sheep during harvest time, and especially to those farmers who have their sheep on the moor and who, under the present regulations, may have to bring their sheep from a considerable distance in to be dipped and then turned out again, necessitating a second gathering; and whether he can see his way to extending the time during which sheep may be dipped from the end of August to the end of September.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The period during which the dipping must be carried out was selected, after full consideration, as the one which would entail the least possible inconvenience to all concerned, and we could not extend it without having also to im- 58 pose restrictions on the movement of sheep, which would cause much greater inconvenience than the present arrangements. If, however, my hon. friend will give me any specific instances of special difficulty I shall be glad to see if it is possible to meet them.