§ 9. Sir WALTER ESSEXasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he has recently had complaints of the arrival from overseas of cargoes of apples upon which traces of poisonous insecticides were found, and, if so, in how many cases; whether close observation is being made upon incoming deliveries; and are steps being taken to prevent danger to public health from this source?
§ Sir H. VERNEYNo complaints have been made to the Board as to the presence of insecticides on imported fruit. Two cases were, however, brought to their notice last year of the presence of a fungicide, but the amount of the latter was unimportant. I may say that an officer of the Board ate one of the apples and is still alive. The matter is not one with which the Board are empowered to deal, but they published a note in their "Journal" for June, 1914, warning English growers to remove all traces of sprays before marketing their fruit. I shall be happy to send my hon. Friend a copy.