§ 14 Mr. STANIERasked the President of the Board of Agriculture (1) if there are any restrictions in Holland for the movement of swine even when there is swine fever in the locality, except on the farm containing the outbreak; (2) whether he has any official information showing that in Holland, when an outbreak of swine fever breaks out, the State veterinary surgeon immediately injects a serum provided by the State on all the pigs on the farm; (3) whether the serum treatment in Holland has been proved to be effective to prevent swine fever; and if many die through the treatment of inoculation; (4) if he will say how long the Dutch Government has been treating swine fever with the serum injection; and what has been the cost per animal treated; (5) if he will say how long the pigs are infectious after being inoculated with serum in Holland; and (6) whether, in view of the fact that the English methods of stamping out swine fever have not been altogether successful, he will introduce the methods of the Dutch serum treatment?
§ 22. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that in Holland, where the pig population is in excess of that in this country, swine fever is not seriously prevalent, that it is generally cured by treatment, and that, in the event of an outbreak of the disease, it is kept in check by the injection or a serum provided by the Government into all swine on the infected premises whether diseased or exposed to infection; and whether, in view of the failure to stamp out the disease by the methods adopted by the Board since 1908, he will consider the advisability of adopting the Dutch methods of dealing with it?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANMy attention was called recently to some remarkable reports concerning the successful treatment of swine fever in Holland. In the absence of precise official information, swine fever in Holland not being apparently what we should describe as a "scheduled disease," I immediately directed special inquiry to be made. This inquiry must take some little time, but there will be no avoidable delay, and in the meantime I would rather, if the hon. Members will allow me, refrain from making any detailed statement, which would necessarily be based only on unofficial and unverified information.
§ Mr. STANIERHow long has this been going on there?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am afraid I cannot give any detailed opinion as to the length of the experiment in Holland, which is said to be successful. Our inquiries have been proceeding for some little time there.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLPending further inquiry into this matter, does the right hon. Gentleman not think it is desirable to suspend the present system of wholesale slaughter of suspected pigs?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, I am afraid I could not do that. It would be impossible for us to leave any gap between one system and the possible adoption of another.
§ Mr. STANIERWhen is the right hon. Gentleman likely to receive a report from these gentlemen who have been inquiring?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI cannot say.