§ Mr. LAURENCE HARDYasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what is the number of outbreaks of black scab in potatoes which have occurred within the last two years; whether there have been any recent signs of the disease; whether any compensation was paid to the owners of the crop when it was, by order of the Board, destroyed; and, if compensation was paid, was it paid for the full value of the crop and out of local or Imperial funds?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. Cherry)My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. Three outbreaks of black scab occurred in Ireland in the autumn of last year; none before or since. All the obviously diseased tubers were destroyed under the supervision of an officer of the Department, and no compensation was paid. Notice was served on the growers prohibiting them (1) from using any of the produce from affected crops for seed in the present year, and (2) from growing any potatoes on the same land until the Department remove the restriction.