§ 86. Mr. TURTONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is prepared to grant a full and searching inquiry into all the circumstances connected with the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, with special regard to its origin; whether the Ministry is satisfied that the present law and Regulations are sufficient to meet a terrible outbreak of the present character; and, if not, whether he will introduce legislation on the subject?
The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Sir A. Boscawen)I propose to appoint a Departmental Committee to inquire into the origin and other circumstances connected with the present out-break of foot-and-mouth disease. Pending the receipt of the report of this Committee, I do not propose to consider any revision of the existing legislation relating to diseases of animals, or of the Regulations made thereunder.
§ Mr. TURTONWill the Departmental Committee inquire into all these facts, as it has been alleged in the Bodmin Division that over seven days were allowed to elapse between notification and slaughter, and that afterwards the slaughtered animals remained in the open field's, and that a period of 12 days elapsed between the notification and the final destruction of the animals?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question should be printed.