§ Mr. HUNTasked the President of the Local Government Board (1) whether he is aware that in 1907 over 90,000 carcases of cattle and pigs from which tumours and abscesses, including cancerous tumours, had been cut out were stamped by the United States Government as sound, wholesome, and healthful for human food; what steps he proposes to take to preserve our people from consuming without knowing it this diseased American meat; (2) whether he is aware that in 1908 667 car-cases of animals suffering from actinomycosis or lumpy jaw, formerly called cancer and hardly distinguishable from it, were condemned as unfit for human food by the American authorities; whether he is aware that 32,430 carcases of animals suffering from the same disease, after those parts {Erectly affected by the disease had been cut out, were stamped by the American Government as sound, wholesome, and healthful for human food; whether he intends to take any action to prevent this diseased meat being imported into this country; (3) whether he is aware that in 1908 655,829 carcases of pigs and cattle which had suffered from tuberculosis, but from which the tuberculous parts had been cut out, were stamped by the United States Government as sound, wholesome, and healthy for human food; whether such animals, if killed in this country, would be allowed to be consumed; and, if not, whether he proposes to take any action to protect the British consumers from this supply of tuberculous American meat?
§ Mr. BURNSThe figures which the hon. Member gives appear to be taken from the Annual Reports of the United States Bureau of Animal Industry, but I have no means of verifying them. Under the Public Health (Unsound Food) Regulations, 1908, the Medical Officer of Health is empowered to seize any article of food which is unsound, unwholesome, or unfit for human consumption. This officer has similar power in regard to home-killed meat.
§ Mr. HUNTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that under the American regulations of 1908 they are allowed to stamp, and do stamp, American meat so long as the cancerous and other diseased parts are cut out? Does he know anything about it at all?
§ Mr. BURNSYes. Whatever the American may do or stamp no meat that answers to the description given by the hon. Member is allowed to be landed in this country under the Act of 1908.
§ Mr. HUNTMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his experts can tell when these carcases are sent over here if diseased parts are cut out?
§ Mr. BURNSIn many cases they can, and we are now taking steps to prevent any possibility of what the hon. Member suggests occurring at all.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThere are a number of questions on the Paper, and the hon. Member must limit his supplementary questions.