HC Deb 27 November 1912 vol 44 cc1276-7
73. Mr. STANIER

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can give any details as to the amount of foot-and-mouth disease in the Argentine during 1912; and if there was an outbreak in the Palermo Show, which is one of the great stud stock shows of that country?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

No particulars are available as to the number of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease which have occurred in Argentina during the present, year, but we were informed quite recently that it was widely prevalent throughout the northern and central portions of the country, and that it has now reached the territory of the Rio Negro. We have no information as to the occurrence of an outbreak at the Palermo Show.

74. Mr. STANIER

asked when the Argentine will open their ports to livestock from this country if we have no further outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease?

Mr.RUNCIMAN

The Board are in communication with the Argentine Government on this subject, but I am not yet in a position to make any definite statement respecting it.

Mr. JOHN REDMOND

I wish to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture a question of which I have given him private notice, very short notice I admit, to the effect that as the English Board of Agriculture has now decided that it can safely allow unrestricted movement of livestock in England owing to the fact that there has been no case of foot-and-mouth disease in England for the past is even or eight weeks, whether he cannot now permit the free movement of livestock from Munster to England as there has been no disease there for thirty years?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

As I have often explained to the House the conditions of traffic between England and Ireland are not similar to the conditions of traffic between various parts of England. Some seven weeks have elapsed since the last case in England, and some three or four weeks since the last case in Ireland; but I am hoping to modify the restrictions considerably in the near future, and I am taking into account the fact that the outbreak in Ireland has been in one centre during the last few weeks, and nowhere else in the country.