HC Deb 12 November 1908 vol 196 cc510-1
MR. LAURENCE HARDY

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, in view of the fact that the Gooseberry Mildew Orders have been in force for more than a year, the Board will now present Returns showing the areas infected in each county, the number of outbreaks and the success or failure of the measures adopted by order of the Board to deal with the disease; and whether the Board will in future secure that the fungicides used in connection with their Orders should be approved as efficient by the Board, as is done in connection with sheep dips under the Sheep Scab Orders.

(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) A report on the administration and effect of the American Gooseberry Mildew Order Orders will be issued in due course. There seems no good reason for the adoption of the suggestion contained in the latter part of the Question, as the fungicide usually used is that specified in the Board's Orders, and in the rare cases in which other fungicides have been used the Board have been consulted as to their efficiency.

MR. LAURENCE HARDY

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether the Board were advised, as long ago as 1st October, that an outbreak of gooseberry mildew had occurred in the county of Surrey; whether any order has been issued by the Board to deal with the disease in the county of Surrey; and whether, in view of the fact that during October and November most of the necessary sales of plants takes place he will say what precautions have been taken at this time to prevent the spread of so infectious a disease.

(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The reply to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. An inspector visited the affected premises and explained the procedure and precautions to be adopted in dealing with the disease. The Board have no evidence to show that the disease is spreading in Surrey, and have not therefore considered it expedient to issue a special order for that county at present.