§ 23. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the resolution passed by the Markets Committee of the Hull Corporation on the 23rd March last, and confirmed by the Hull City Council on the 7th April, that he be requested to make the Order contemplated by Section 2 of the Importation of Animals Act, 1922 (Session 2), and thereby authorise the importation into Great Britain of non-tubercular Canadian cows and heifers; and what action he intends to take?
§ 24. Mr. T. KENNEDYasked the Minister of Agriculture if he has considered the representations made to him regarding the operation of Section 2 of the Importation of Animals Act, 1922, authorising the importation into this country of non-tubercular Canadian cows and heifers; and what action he proposes to take?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)I will answer these 538 questions together. The answer to the first part is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I would refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave on 7th April last to a similar question put to me by the hon. Member for the Forest of Dean.
§ Lieut.- Commander KENWORTHYDoes the right hon. Gentleman hold out any hope of relaxing the present Regulations and allowing these beasts to come in?
§ Mr. GUINNESSOh, no. The matter was fully discussed at the Imperial Conference in 1923, and the passage of the Importation of Pedigree Animals Act, 1925, was a final settlement.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYDoes that mean that these perfectly healthy cattle are to be kept out indefinitely, thus keeping up the price of meat?
§ Mr. GUINNESSI do not agree that that is the effect on the price of meat. We had all kinds of expectations held out as to the price which was to be expected from allowing Canadian stores to come in, but the hon. and gallant Member is no doubt aware that those expectations have not been realised.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEHas my right hon. Friend's attention been called to the fact that there has been a constant attack on the dairy herds of this country, with a view to imputing that they are full of tuberculosis; and will he do something to stop these constant attacks, which have vested interests behind them?
§ Mr. GUINNESSIt is perfectly true. All the local authorities in the country have been circularised by an organisation called the Free Importation of Canadian Cattle Association, and I naturally am not willing to attach so much importance to the organised agitation which they have started as to the universal agricultural opinion in this country.
§ Mr. KENNEDYWhat object is served by the exclusion of these animals other than protection from disease?
§ Mr. GUINNESSThat is a very long story. The hon. Member will find that there is an overwhelming agricultural opinion in favour of the present settlement, 539 under which, on reciprocal terms, the import and export only of pedigree breeding stock is permitted.
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe cannot have Debate on this subject.