§ Mr. KEIR HARDIE (on behalf of Mr. Bowerman)asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, with a view to the more effectual protection of the public health, he would consider the desirability of making it compulsory upon all owners of live stock commonly used or sold for the food of man to notify the local authority within 24 hours of any ailing, injured, or apparently diseased animal, in order to prevent such animal being offered upon his premises, or removed therefrom, for the purpose of sale until the carcass of such animal had been duly examined by a qualified veterinary surgeon, and that the penalty for contravention of any such amended Act should be made sufficiently heavy to prevent the foisting of anything unfit or unsound upon those who were responsible for the distribution of the meat supply of the United Kingdom?
The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Bums)My hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I will take note of the suggestion made in it; but I could not promise to introduce legislation for the purpose of giving effect to it. There would, I think, be a good deal of difficulty in the matter.