§ MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, as a result of the fining of Alexander Poison, manager of the Albion Bacon Curing Factory at Holbeck, Denmark, for melting lard derived from diseased animals, his attention has been called to the action of the Danish Minister of Agriculture in concealing the fact that one of the directors had been fined for practices which might injure the reputation of Danish produce on the English market; and whether, in view of the fact that the managers of all the Danish co-operative slaughter-houses met at Copenhagen on 23rd March condemned the management of the Albion factory and expressed a wish to secure more effective control over bacon and other meat exported from Denmark, he will state what steps he proposes to take to safeguard the interests of consumers in this country pending the introduction of more effective control by legislation in Denmark.
§ DR. MACNAMARAMy right hon. friend has seen the statements in The Times with regard to the matters referred to in the Question. He does not think any special action is necessary at the present time as regards the importation of bacon and meat from Denmark, but he has in preparation regulations dealing generally with the measures to be taken for the prevention of danger to health from the importation of foreign meat.
§ MR. BOLANDIs the hon. Gentleman aware that a Bill has been introduced into the Danish legislature to deal with this matter, thereby admitting that the present control is ineffective?
§ DR. MACNAMARAI am not aware of that.