§ 69 and 70. Mr. HURDasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) what progress is being made in scientific research into the causes of foot-and-mouth disease; and whether he is considering proposals from the National Farmers' Union or any other representative agricultural body for the development of research methods;
(2) what steps have been taken by the veterinary staff of the Ministry to test the inoculation and other suggestions for the cure of foot-and-mouth disease, and with what results?
§ 72. Mr. EVERARDasked the Minister of Agriculture whether any experiments are taking place, or are about to take place, in endeavouring to cure animals affected by foot-and-mouth disease; and, if so, where these experiments are being carried out?
§ Sir H. BARNSTONI have been asked to reply. A Committee was appointed in April, 1924, to initiate, direct and conduct 914 investigations into foot-and-mouth disease, either in this country or elsewhere. The first Progress Report of this Committee was recently published by His Majesty's Stationery Office. It contains a full account of the Committee's investigations. Such inoculation methods as are at present available for the cure and prevention of foot-and-mouth disease have been tested out in Continental countries on a large scale, but none the less the disease is widespread. The Scientific Committee of Investigation, however, is attempting to obtain, amongst other things, a safe and effective method of preventive inoculation. Scientific work with this object is being carried out at a specially constructed cattle station at Pirbright. No proposals as to possible lines of investigation have been received from the Natonal Farmers' Union or any other representative agricultural body.
§ 74. Major GLYNasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the large number of sheep, cattle, etc., that are now conveyed from and to markets by motor-lorries, with double-deck trailers attached in some cases, and that no Regulations appear to exist for their cleansing in a manner similar to that insisted upon by the Board of Agriculture in the case of cattle-trucks and sheep-vans on the railways; and whether, in view of the increase of foot-and-mouth disease, he will take immediate steps to exercise some form of control over these road vehicles?
§ Sir H. BARNSTONI have been asked to reply. My hon. and gallant Friend is under a misapprehension in thinking that no Regulations exist for the cleansing of motor lorries and other road vehicles used for the carriage of cattle, sheep, etc. In every area which is declared to be a foot-and-mouth disease infected area the cleansing and disinfection of such vehicles is required by the Ministry's Orders after each occasion on which they are used for animals and before any other animal or fodder, litter or anything intended to be used for animals is placed therein. The Ministry at present has under consideration the extension of these requirements to all such vehicles engaged in the carriage of animals throughout Great Britain.
§ 76. Captain WALTER SHAWasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will undertake to close to the public all paths 915 through fields within a radius of 10 miles of an infected place in order thereby to lessen the danger of the spreading of the foot-and-mouth disease?
§ Sir H. BARNSTONThe present practice is to close all footpaths running through infected places and also through other fields in the vicinity. Usually footpaths are closed for about a mile around an infected place, but the circumstances, including local conditions as regards the paths and roads are considered in each case. Applications are often received from other farmers in the neighbourhood for posters notifying the closing of their footpaths and these posters are given, although the paths to be closed may be outside the normal radius dealt with compulsorily. The Ministry thinks that these measures are sufficient to control the spread of disease so far as the use of public footpaths is concerned, and it does not appear necesary to extend them to such a wide radius as that suggested.
§ Captain SHAWIs the hon. Member aware that there is great nervousness locally among the farmers because many miles round these footpaths are used very much by the public, who take dogs with them which run about and certainly deposit the germs of this disease?