§ 38. Sir Gifford Foxasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the poultry department of the Ministry's laboratory at Weybridge is self-supporting; and whether its financial position in this respect is able to provide free blood-testing and free post-mortems for accredited breeders of poultry as is announced to take place immediately?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The free services to accredited 691 breeders of poultry are being provided at the Ministry's laboratory at Weybridge in accordance with arrangements made under Section 24 of the Agriculture Act, 1937, out of moneys provided by Parliament.
§ Sir G. FoxCan my right hon. Friend state the total amount of money which is necessary for financing these free services, and the total capital expenditure necessary for extending the laboratory at Weybridge; and does he, in view of the large amount of private money that is invested in private laboratories in this country, think that this expenditure of public capital is justified?
§ Mr. MorrisonI have informed my hon. Friend that the position is that the ordinary work of the laboratory is self-supporting and is paid for by the fees charged. In connection with the Agriculture Act of last year, provision was made out of moneys provided by Parliament for these particular free services to be provided.
§ 39. Sir G. Foxasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the official announcement that free blood-testing and free post-mortems will be provided to accredited breeds of poultry from 1st July, it is the intention of his Department to compel accredited breeders to test with the Ministry, or whether they can, if they wish, test with any of the approved laboratories?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonThe free services to accredited breeders of poultry in England and Wales under Section 24 of the Agriculture Act, 1937, are being provided only at the Ministry's laboratory at Weybridge. No provision has, therefore, been made in the accredited poultry breeding stations scheme for the ensuing season for blood tests and post-mortem examinations for the purposes of the scheme to be carried out at other laboratories.
§ Sir G. FoxIs my right hon. Friend aware that private enterprise will suffer as a result of these activities by the Department, and is there any evidence that private enterprise has not served the industry well in the past, working under the supervision of his Department?
§ Mr. MorrisonI see no reason why private enterprise should suffer through these activities; but surely it is reasonable, when Parliament is providing the money, that the work should be carried out under Parliamentary control?