§ 52. Mr. David Adamsasked the Lord President of the Council whether he is aware that of the grants for research paid by the Agricultural Research Council in the year ended 31st March, 1942, totalling about £30,000., the smallest item was for tuberculosis, amounting to £2 5s. 10d. only; and whether, as the milk produced by many farms is prolific in this disease, he will ensure that greater research into this question is carried out?
§ The Lord President of the Council (Sir John Anderson)The sum of £2 5s. 10d. referred to by the hon. Member represents only an item of direct expenditure by the Agricultural Research Council for the purchase of a small piece of apparatus. Grants amounting to a total sum of £1,390 were made by the Agricultural Research Council for work on tuberculosis at the Institute of Animal Pathology, Cambridge, and a much larger sum was expended during the year in question on such research both at the Veterinary Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and at other agricultural research institutes, receiving block maintenance grants borne on the Votes of the Agricultural Departments. I can assure the hon. Member the research on tuberculosis in cattle is being pursued most actively at a number of centres in Great Britain under the co-ordination of the Agricultural Research Council, whose estimated expenditure in the current financial year for this purpose is £6,375. This sum also is additional to general maintenance grants.
§ Mr. AdamsIn view of the increase of this disease in the country, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that this expenditure on research into this disease is sufficient?
§ Sir J. AndersonYes, I believe so, and I can assure the hon. Gentleman that no financial obstacle exists in the way of the fullest possible investigation.