§ 51. Sir Percy Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture the extent of the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the West Country; its source; and what steps are being taken to prevent its recurrence?
Mr. HudsonThere have been rather more than 250 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the Bath infected area, the natural spread of the disease from the initial outbreak on nth July being aggravated by movements of the public over the countryside during the holiday season. Disease first appeared in pigs fed on swill. It is understood that the swill was boiled before being fed to the pigs. It can therefore be inferred that infection was conveyed to the pigs from the swill before it was boiled. It is, I am afraid, impossible to obviate entirely the risks associated with the use of swill, but steps are being taken to ensure, as far as is practicable, that swill is treated before distribution to farms.