§ 41. Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether,, seeing that the test for disinfectants which has now been adopted is considered unsuitable and unreliable by the Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry and other large purchasers of disinfectants, he will consider the adoption of a more reliable test?
Mr. GUINNESSI am not aware that the test for disinfectants which the Ministry has adopted for use under the Diseases of Animals Acts is in any sense unreliable. It was adopted after full consideration and scientific advice as being a test conducted under conditions which resemble as closely as possible the actual conditions under which the disinfectants prescribed by the Ministry are used in practice.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEMay I ask whether that has been agreed to by other Government offices which are equally concerned in getting a reliable test?
Mr. GUINNESSThe requirements of the other offices are very different from the requirements of agriculture. Other offices do not have to deal with the testing of disinfectants for field purposes.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEIs it not possible to get the matter reconsidered from the point of view of science, as some equally high authorities are against this change, which is a radical change?
§ 42. Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that brands of disinfectants, which have been approved by the Ministry, are being freely sold to agriculturists in inferior strengths and not labelled in accordance with the Diseases of Animals Disinfection Order, 1926,, so that the public are unaware of the proper strength at which to use such agents, and the intention of the Statute is plainly defeated; and if he will give the number of samples of disinfectants tested for his Department which have been taken from supplies purchased in the open market, and the numbers of manufacturers against whom proceedings have been taken for non-compliance with the Order?
Mr. GUINNESSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Agriculturists and others required to use approved disinfectants under any Order issued in pursuance of the Diseases of Animals Acts should be careful to see that the preparation they are obtaining for that purpose is labelled clearly as prescribed in the Disinfection Order of 1926. The enforcement of the Orders requiring the use of disinfectants rests with the local authorities. I have no information as to the number of samples of disinfectants taken by those bodies nor as to the number of prosecutions instituted. No prosecutions have been undertaken by the Ministry.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will consider the possibility of his officers taking samples in the open market, instead of relying on samples which are sent to him, manifestly cooked up for the purpose?
Mr. GUINNESSIn the ordinary way I think the local authorities are quite able to take samples from the open market. The hon. and gallant Member will sec that it would lead to unnecessary expense and the duplicating of samples.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEBut is not the Minister—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Member makes me a little nervous about his Supplementary Questions when he puts allegations into them. I think he had better hand them to me in writing.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEThis is not an allegation. The Minister—
§ Mr. SPEAKERI heard something about sending cooked samples, and to the ordinary man that sounds very much like an allegation.