§ Mr. FIELDHas the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Ireland) any further information to give with respect to the regulations which have been made regarding the transit of cattle, and will the Dublin port and market be open on Thursday.
§ Mr. RUSSELLI have no further information from Ireland in regard to the disease itself. So far as Dublin Port and Market are concerned, they will both be opened on Thursday.
§ Mr. LARDNERWill the right hon. Gentleman tell us as the result of the negotiations what decision has been arrived at in reference to the scheduling; of certain districts in Ulster?
§ Mr. RUSSELLI am able to say that an Irish Order will be issued to-night. If the hon. Member will consult me later on as to the boundaries, I shall be able to give him definite information. I cannot at this moment, and it would be very unwise to attempt to state the boundary line.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEWill fat stock be received on Thursday next at British ports from the county of Meath through the ports of Drogheda and Dublin, and having regard to the mild form of the disease which manifested itself in the two suspected cases in Dublin which came from the neighbourhood of Dunshaughlin and Kels respectively, which in the opinion of eminent experts was not infectious, will any part of the county of Meath be dealt with as an infected area?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am afraid I cannot accept the hypothesis outlined in the last part of this question. I must, in administering the Animals Diseases Act in this country, regard all foot-and-mouth disease as an infectious disease. With regard to the first part of the question, if the hon. Member will wait until the boundaries have been made public of the scheduled areas in Ireland, he will get full information from the Irish authorities.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEIf they refuse to schedule any part of Meath, will he accept stock from it?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI stated last night, on the Adjournment, that stock coming from a non-scheduled area would be imported over here for slaughter purposes, as we have been importing them in the last few weeks.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEDoes the right hon. Gentleman propose to interfere with the Irish Department in scheduling the areas they think fit?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe Irish Department and the English Department are acting together in complete harmony in this matter in the interests of both countries. The trade will be resumed on a larger scale and under as safe conditions as possible.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake that no area will be scheduled unless it is perfectly clear that, a case of disease has occurred within that area?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThat question ought obviously to be addressed to the Irish Department.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHMay I put the question to the Vice-President of the Irish Board of Agriculture?
§ Mr. RUSSELLNo area will be scheduled in Ireland unless an area has been affected by the disease.