§ 69. Mr. MATTERSasked the Minister of Agriculture if he has been able to ascertain whether the active virus of foot-and-mouth disease is introduced to this 36 country in the marrow of the bones of chilled beef imported from the Argentine Republic?
§ Mr. N. BUXTONThe experiments of the Foot-and-mouth Disease Research Commitee have shown that the virus of foot-and-mouth disease remains active in bone marrow which has been kept at a low temperature for 76 days. While it is, therefore, theoretically possible for the disease to be introduced into this country in the way suggested, there is no positive evidence that this has, in fact, happened.
§ Mr. MATTERSHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to a statement in a London journal that this committee has determined that infection from the Argentine Republic is coming into the country in the manner indicated by my question?
§ Mr. BUXTONThere is no evidence to that effect.
Viscountess ASTORWould it not be safer to grant the troops home-grown meat, seeing the danger in imported Argentine meat?