§ 38. Sir JOHN SPEARasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if any alteration has occurred in the amount of compensation named by him on 22nd December as payable for animals slaughtered during the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Somerset and the amount received at that date for salvage; and, seeing that while £27,136 9s. 6d. was assessed for compensation and only £5,326 18s. 9d. received, will he state what method is adopted in selling the carcasses, hides, and skins of the non-diseased animals?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe reply to the first part of the question is that while the amount of compensation payable remains the same, the amount actually recoverable as salvage has increased to £5,588. The reply to the second part is that the method followed is that all carcasses, hides, and skins of non-diseased animals are sent to a suitable salesman to be disposed of to the best advantage. Owing to the peculiar circumstances of these outbreaks, which I could explain to the hon. Member should he desire, it was not in all cases possible to deal in this manner with carcasses that might under ordinary circumstances have been salvaged. The hon. Member will realise that in a dairying district the proportion of the value of animals recovered by the sale of carcasses is bound to be less than elsewhere.
§ Sir J. SPEARHaving regard to the fact that the present price of hides and skins would make a large part of the £5,000 recovered as salvage, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the meat has been sold at a fair price?
§ Mr. ACLANDYes, I think it was; but it was so necessary to prevent the spread of disease, having regard to the nature of the district, that a great many carcasses had to be burnt without salvage, in order to prevent the spread of infection.