§ 30. Mr. BUTCHERasked out of what fund is the compensation for cattle slaughtered in Ireland in consequence of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease paid; what is the expenditure already incurred under this head up to the present date; and, if the Government of Ireland Bill becomes law, out of what fund will such expenditure be met, and whether out of the pockets of the Irish taxpayers or otherwise?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture)Compensation is payable out of the Cattle Pleuro-Pneumonia Account of the Cattle Diseases Fund under the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, and that fund consists partly of contributions from local rates and partly of monies provided by Parliament. When the Government of Ireland Bill becomes law, the existing system of providing compensation will continue unless and until the Irish Parliament think fit to alter it, subject, of course, to the modification that the Irish Parliament will as regards the provision of money be substituted for the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The amount of the expenditure already incurred under this head in connection with the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is £15,847.
§ Mr. BUTCHERCan the right hon. Gentleman tell me what proportion of that £15,000 was paid out of Irish rates and out of Imperial funds respectively?
§ Mr. RUSSELLI rather think the proportion is a small one.
§ Mr. BUTCHERThe right hon. Gentleman says the proportion paid out of the rates is very small—can he tell me the amount?
§ Mr. RUSSELLNo.
§ Mr. LOUGHCan my right hon. Friend state how much this fund amounts to, and whether there is statutory authority for applying it in this way?
§ Mr. RUSSELLIt is annually made up by contributions from the rates. Every county council in Ireland is liable for a rate. That is the way the fund is made up every year, and it has been applied in the past in connection with outbreaks of swine fever. The prevalence of swine fever last year rather depleted the fund.
§ Mr. RUSSELLAbout £20,000 per year.
§ 79. Captain MURRAYasked the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he is now in a position to make any further statement as to the importation of Irish store cattle into the port of Glasgow?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Runciman)I am in communication with the Glasgow local authority on this subject, but no definite arrangements for the landing of Irish store cattle there have yet been made.
§ Mr. CHAPLINI wish to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture in Ireland whether it is true, as stated in the "Times" to-day, that several fresh cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been reported in the Mullingar district, and whether the announcement that forty milch cows in this small area are affected is well founded?
§ Mr. RUSSELLI have not seen the newspaper report in question, but the latest intelligence I have is that twenty-six animals have been affected in the Mullingar district, and 200 animals were in contact. These are all either slaughtered or will be slaughtered. I think that the report is probably accurate with regard to milch cows, because the outbreak has taken place in the town parks of Mullingar, and these are reserves of milch cows.
§ Mr. CHAPLINIn view of the facts which the right hon. Gentleman has put before us, does he still adhere to the 1905 opinion that he expressed yesterday, that there is no reason for supposing that the disease has been for a considerable time in existence at Mullingar before it was known?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe report of the veterinary officer states his belief that it is about four days old.
§ Mr. CHAPLINIn all the different animals?
§ Mr. RUSSELLYes.
§ Mr. CHAPLINWere they all infected at the same time?
§ Mr. RUSSELLEntirely.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEAre not these town parks in the neighbourhood of Mullingar where the outbreaks took place in the immediate vicinity of the Mullingar Barracks, and, in view of the fact that the outbreak at Ballysax, county Kildare, was due to straw packing that was given to Mrs. Behan from the barracks, will the right hon. Gentleman investigate whether the outbreak is due to a similar cause in Mullingar?
§ Mr. RUSSELLAll the facts will be investigated, but, as I said yesterday, there is no evidence to connect the barracks with the outbreak.
§ 77. Mr. NEEDHAMasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can make provisions for the safe use of the foreign animals wharf of the Manchester Ship Canal for the landing of Irish animals for the supply of local needs?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANUnder an Order issued on the 4th inst. Irish animals are allowed to be landed at the foreign animals wharf at Old Trafford, Manchester, but they must be detained there for inspection and supervision and removed from the wharf in accordance with the requirements of the Order, a copy of which I shall be glad to send to my hon. Friend.