§ MR. LAURENCE HARDY (Kent, Ashford)To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, in view of the fact that American gooseberry mildew has broken out afresh, in the infectious condition known as the summer stage, in sixty-eight plantations in which all the requirements of the Board of Agriculture and its inspectors have been carried out to the satisfaction of the Board, the Board will now have recourse to more drastic measures to stamp out this pest, in accordance with the promise made by the President to the deputation of fruit growers on 8th April.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The experience gained in dealing with 49 gooseberry mildew this year goes to show that it will not be desirable, at any rate at present, to alter the Order now in operation.