§ 51. Mr. ALFRED WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Agriculture if any animals exhibited at the Royal Show at Reading came from a restricted area; and, if so, whether the animals had started for the show before the restriction was made?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)Certain animals from the Staffordshire infected area were exhibited at the Royal Show. The movement of the animals to the show took place before the restrictions were imposed. As soon as the Restriction Order was issued the animals were removed from the show ground to other premises for isolation and detention.
50. Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGAN forasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that there has been no continental meat sent to Smithfield Market since 4th June; that recently foot-and-mouth disease broke out again in Colchester, Chelmsford, and Cheshire coast districts; and if he can state why Dutch meat cannot be imported in the same way as Argentine meat is imported?
§ A second hon. Member rose to ask tide mine question.
406§ Mr. GUINNESSThe answer to the first two parts is in the affirmative. The importation of fresh meat, from Europe has been prohibited because conclusive evidence was obtained that foot-and-mouth disease had been introduced into this country by the carcases of pigs from the Continent. As I have already explained, there is no evidence that frozen meat such as that coming from the Argentine is the means of carrying infection.