§ 4. Mr. STANIERasked whether the Board has any knowledge of the reported discovery of an effective remedy for foot-and-mouth disease following experiments made at Martigny-le-Comte, in France, and on which official trials are now being made by the French Government; and if he can. give any information regarding it?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am not at the present time in a position to give any detailed information regarding the reported discovery to which the hon. Member refers, but inquiries are being made.
5. Major WHITEasked whether the right hon. Gentleman has received a resolution passed by the executive committee of the Federation of Lancashire and Cheshire Agricultural Societies, urging him to seriously consider the question of granting loans on easy terms to farmers who have suffered serious loss through foot-and-mouth disease and through loss of crops owing to floods and continuous heavy rains; and if he intends to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have not as yet received the. resolution to which the hon. and gallant Member refers. As at present advised I do not think that any action in the direction suggested will be either necessary or desirable.
§ 6. Mr. MacVEAGHasked whether the right hon. Gentleman is yet in a position to say if Greenore and Holyhead will now be opened for the transit of cattle, especially having regard to the fact that there never has been any disease within thirty miles of Greenore or within eighty miles of the West of Ireland, Sligo, or Roscommon, and that the railway company at Holyhead has good fields, lairage, and excellent accommodation for thousands of cattle as well as a good steamship service?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANInquiries are already proceeding as to whether suitable accommodation is available or could be provided for the reception of Irish animals at Holyhead. As to Greenore, it rests with the Irish Department to decide whether or not shipment from that port could be arranged consistently with the requirements of the Orders. I may add that fields "are not suitable places for the detention of animals, inasmuch as it is not feasible to cleanse and disinfect them.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIf arrangements can be made with regard to Greenore by the Irish Department of Agriculture,, does the right hon. Gentleman mean that he will open Holyhead?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir. The Holyhead arrangement must be self-contained. If our requirements are satisfied at Holyhead, I shall be glad to sanction the landing of Irish animals there.