59. Lieut.-Colonel A. MURRAYasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the conditions under which, within the ambit of existing Regulations, cattle from Ireland after disembarkation at Scottish ports are forwarded inland and isolated provide no real safeguard against the spread of foot-and-mouth disease if present; and whether, in these circumstances, he will allow free movement of cattle, as formerly, after landing?
Sir A. BOSCAWENNo, Sir, I am satisfied that the Regulations in question, which ensure a period of detention of 14 days for Irish cattle which have either been sold at the ports or moved direct to farms, thus checking their movement from market to market, do provide a real safeguard against the dissemination of foot-and-mouth disease. The answer to the last part of the question is therefore, in the negative.
Lieut.-Colonel MURRAYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, without accomplishing its object, these Regulations have a dislocating effect on the inland cattle trade, and could he not make some alteration?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe inland cattle trade would be much more dislocated if we allowed the methods to prevail which spread disease from place to place, as was the case before we introduced the necessary Regulations.