§ 31. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he 2243 is aware that throughout England and Wales most, and in some counties all, of the cattle slaughtered under the Tuberculosis Order of 1913 have been treated as being in an advanced stage of the disease as defined in Article 8 of the Order, and that 30s., or little more than the value of the hide, is in most cases being paid in respect of them; that the financial inducement to owners to report their tuberculous animals, especially those giving a large and profitable supply of milk, is so small that the bulk of the tuberculous cattle in the country remain unreported; and whether, as a very small proportion of the £60,000 per annum granted by the Treasury for this purpose during the current financial year seems likely to be expended, he will, for the more effective extermination of the disease, vary the wide definition of advanced tuberculosis contained in the Order, or otherwise increase the inducement to stockowners to report diseased animals to the authorities?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIt is evident from the returns furnished to the Board by the local authorities that the majority of the animals slaughtered hitherto under the Tuberculosis Order suffered from advanced tuberculosis, and compensation has been paid to the owners on the lower scale, but I am not at present in a position to say whether or not the hon. Gentleman is correct in estimating the average compensation at 30s. I am not aware that most owners of tuberculous cattle are deliberately disregarding the provisions of the Order, as is suggested in the second part. of the question; if the hon. Gentleman has evidence that the failure to report tuberculous animals is general, I shall be much obliged if he will communicate it to me. The amount sanctioned by the Treasury for compensation during the current financial year is £45,000, not £60,000; the estimate was necessarily very conjectural, and until the Order has been longer in operation it is impossible to judge how much of the amount sanctioned will actually be required. The definition of advanced tuberculosis is based on recommendations of the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis, and if experience proves that it is too wide, I shall be prepared in that as in other respects to consider an amendment. of the Order.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the bulk of the 2244 cases of bovine tuberculosis in milch cows are not reported, and that that is likely to continue unless greater inducements are offered to stock owners to report them?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIf cases are not reported, and if my hon. Friend knows about them, I wish he would give me the benefit of his information, and then we would take action direct.