Captain FABERasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state whether he can reconsider the rule concerning pigs which are sent to market not being allowed to recross county boundaries if unsold, seeing that there are now constant forced sales in markets owing to pigs being unable to be taken home if unsold; and whether, seeing that county boundaries are often close to a market town, such as the Hampshire boundary to Newbury, he can see his way to making the rule to refer to a radius round market towns instead of county boundaries?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Trevelyan)My right hon. Friend has requested me to answer this question on his behalf. Article 4 (2) of the Swine Fever (Regulation of Movement) Order was specially designed to meet, so far as possible, the difficulty referred to in the first part of the question. Under that Article swine which are moved from premises in one scheduled area to a market in another scheduled area may be moved by licence back to the premises from which they came, subject to detention there for a period of twenty-eight days. I am afraid the Article could not be modified without prejudice to the good effects of the Order. The Board are always prepared to consider any reasonable adjustment of the boundaries of scheduled areas, when the local authorities concerned are agreed as to the modifications it may be desirable to make.
Captain FABERAm I to understand that if pigs are not sold they have to wait twenty-eight, days before they can be taken home?
§ Mr. TREVELYANNo, Sir; but when they are taken home they have to remain twenty-eight days there before they can be moved again.
§ Mr. TREVELYANThe hon. Gentleman should put down that question.