§ MR. CORRIE GRANT (Warwickshire, Rugby)I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether his attention has been called to the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth 1581 disease; and whether he has any evidence to justify the widespread belief in agricultural districts that the disease was imported with foreign hay or straw.
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYThe reply is in the affirmative to both questions. I may perhaps be allowed to add that my noble friend proposes to issue an Order prohibiting the importation of hay and straw from certain countries, from which there is a danger of the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease by means of those articles. The Order will not apply to hay or straw used for packing merchandise and manufactured straw not intended for use as fodder or litter. Hay or straw landed for non-agricultural purposes will be allowed to be landed with a licence. The imports of these articles from the countries concerned are small, in the case of hay, less than half 1 per cent. of our total supplies.
§ MR. CHAPLIN (Surrey, Wimbledon)Arising out of that reply I wish to ask whether it is true that a fresh outbreak as it is described in The Times of to-day of the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease was discovered in Edinburgh on Sunday night, at Balbirnie Place, Murreyfield. And whether it is the fact, as stated, that the majority of the animals at Balbirnie Place, were bought in Edinburgh on 5th February, the day after the suspicious symptoms were discovered, among Mr. Roberston's Elvanbank herd and that, so far as is known, none of the animals had been in contact with anyone working at Elvanbank. I apologise to the hon. Gentleman for the shortness of my notice, but if he can give a reply it may relieve a good deal of anxiety.
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYreplied that it was the case that another outbreak had occurred. The disease was discovered on premises about half a mile away from where the first outbreak occurred among animals belonging to the same owner. On 5th February all the animals that had been bought on 4th or 5th February were inspected by officers of the Board and were then found to be perfectly healthy. The origin of the outbreak was uncertain at the present 1582 moment, but they knew for certain that the animals were not fed on any imported fodder. Twenty-one cows were affected. They were valued and by this time had no doubt been slaughtered.
§ MR. CHAPLINHas the hon. Gentleman any information as to the cause of the outbreak?
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYIt is suspected that the disease must have been carried in some indirect way.
§ MR. COURTHOPEasked whether, in view of the fact that the former outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was traced to imported hay and straw used for packing furniture, the Government would so amend the Order as to make it apply to all hay and straw imported into the country.
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYsaid that though the prohibition only applied to hay and straw used as fodder or for bedding, hay and straw used for commercial purposes must be landed under licence and regulation.
§ MR. COURTHOPEIs it not a fact that the former outbreak was traced to hay and straw imported in the packing of German furniture?
§ SIR W. J. COLLINS (St. Pancras, W.)asked whether the diagnosis was based on the naked eye appearance of the disease, or whether any micro-organism had been discovered.
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYsaid it was doubtful whether any organism had been discovered.