§ 75. Sir FRANK NELSONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the grounds on which he is satisfied that the evidence connecting foot-and-mouth, disease in this country with imported cattle cake is insufficient to justify him in considering the matter afresh, with a view to prohibiting the importation of such cattle cake?
Mr. GUINNESSThe materials from which cake is manufactured are cooked, and as the virus of foot-and-mouth disease is destroyed at a comparatively low temperature, this treatment should be sufficient to ensure complete sterilisation. Rearing in mind the widespread use of imported cake, the number of outbreaks would be enormous were cake in any way infected with foot-and-mouth disease.
§ Mr. MACKINDERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is not the cake, but the material from which it is pressed which may cause infection.
Mr. GUINNESSYes, but the material is sterilised by the high temperature used in preparing the cake.
§ Mr. SPENCERIn view of the fact that we have not yet been able to isolate the bacillus which is supposed to give rise to the disease, how does anyone know how the virus arises?
Mr. GUINNESSYou can quite easily get some of the infectious saliva and subject that to a temperature test and find at what temperature it becomes sterilised.
§ Mr. SPENCERYou cannot find the bacillus and get the exact germ which is responsible for the disease because, as yet, we do not know anything about it.
Mr. GUINNESSNo, but you can prove at what temperature this infected material, which is known to cause the germs, will become sterilised.
§ 76. Mr. STUARTasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to a letter from the Moray-shire Farmers' Club, dated 28th November, asking that Scotland should be closed to cattle imported from England, with a view to preventing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease into Scotland; and if so, whether he intends taking action with this end in view?
Mr. GUINNESSThe answer to the first part is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, the partial Standstill Order has created a wide buffer zone around all existing centres of foot-and-mouth disease, and prohibited the movement of all animals outward from within the Standstill area. I am, therefore, advised that sufficient protection against the spread of disease into Scotland has been attained, and that there is no Justification for the entire stoppage of the import of animals into Scotland from the few counties in England and Wales remaining free from restrictions.
§ Mr. MACLEANIs this another move to get Home Rule for Scotland?