HC Deb 17 November 1949 vol 469 cc2192-3
55. Mr. William Teeling

asked the Minister of Agriculture when fumigation of cargoes arriving at United Kingdom ports was first started; and why it has been done.

Mr. T. Williams

Fumigation of cargoes, particularly of Australian dried fruits, was started long before the war, to destroy any harmful insects. During and since the war fumigation has been extended with the same object to other infested commodities.

Mr. Teeling

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what other things besides Australian dried fruits have been fumigated? There must be many others. Can he give proportionate figures?

Mr. Williams

Oh, yes; animal feedingstuffs, and, of course, cocoa and other kinds of human foods.

60. Mr. Teeling

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the present cost of fumigating cargoes arriving at United Kingdom ports; what was the cost for each of the last three years; how many people are being employed on this work; and how many were employed in the last three years.

Mr. T. Williams

The present cost is approximately £150,000 per annum. For the years ending 31st March, 1947, 1948 and 1949, the aproximate figures were £90,000, £83,000 and £132,000, respectively. The fumigation is carried out by contractors under the supervision of my Department, but no staff is employed by the Department on the actual work of fumigation.

Mr. Teeling

Does not the right hon. Gentleman occasionally go into this in detail to find out how many people are actually employed in doing this work? Does he think that, if it was not necessary before the war, it may not be vitally necessary now, when we want so many more people to do other kinds of work?

Mr. Williams

The hon. Gentleman must have misunderstood my previous answer. I said that fumigation started long before the recent war.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what particular poison is used for this fumigation?

Mr. Williams

Not without notice.

Mr. Teeling

Did not the right hon. Gentleman say it was used only for one particular lot of materials before the war? Did he not mention Australia?

Mr. Williams

The hon. Gentleman could not have been listening when I gave my reply. I said it was started long before the recent war largely for Australian dried fruit, and then in a supplementary answer I also told the hon. Gentleman that feedingstuffs were included, and cocoa and other human foods.

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