§ 79. Sir R. COOPERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture how many cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been reported since the Armistice in Scotland and England, respectively; and will he state the steps he is taking to discover the means by which this disease is spread in England.
Sir A. BOSCAWENSince the date of the Armistice, there have been 28 initial outbreaks of invasion of foot-and-mouth disease in England and Wales, from which 87 additional premises, contiguous or in the immediate vicinity, have become infected, making a total of 115 premises actually infected with the disease. With the exception of one case in Wales, all the outbreaks have occurred in England.
Each centre of initial invasion has been successfully eradicated and general dissemination of infection prevented. The Ministry's officers conduct a searching cross-examination of the owner and attendants of the affected animals with regard to each initial outbreak, but so far, no connection has been traced. The spread of the disease to premises in the immediate vicinity of an initial outbreak has been traced to contaminated attendants, feeding stuffs, water, and to infected animals which changed hands before the Ministry's officers took charge.
§ Sir R. COOPERHas not the information satisfied the hon. Gentleman that much more drastic action ought to be taken at once by the Government to prevent further outbreaks?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI do not think we could take more drastic action, but I think there is a case for further investigation.
§ Sir R. COOPERWill the hon. Gentleman assure the House that the investigations will be carried out at once?