§ 59. Mr. David Rentonasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the restrictions, which have been imposed upon certain uninfected counties as a result of foot and mouth disease in other counties, is preventing fat pigs from being sent to the bacon factories; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Sir T. DugdaleOrders were made on 24th and 25th November to enable pigs from parts of Eastern England to be sent to bacon factories in Yorkshire, Hertfordshire and the Birmingham area. I am advised that these measures should be sufficient for the present.
§ Mr. RentonCan the right hon. Gentleman say why it was that throughout last week we could not send uninfected pigs from an uninfected area to a bacon factory in an uninfected area, and will he ensure that his Ministry do not make mistakes of that kind in future?
§ Sir T. DugdaleI will look into the point raised by the hon. Member, but the real difficulty in this case arose because the control area as originally defined contained 40 per cent. of the pigs in the country, but only 15 per cent. of the bacon curing capacity.
§ Mr. BaldwinIs my right hon. Friend aware that it ought to be possible to send pigs through an uninfected area to a slaughterhouse without closing the area? Is he further aware that the closing of Warwickshire and part of Staffordshire—two areas not affected—is causing very great inconvenience including cancelling an important Shorthorn Sale?
§ Sir T. DugdaleI must be guided in these matters by the advice I have from my technical advisers, in whom I have complete confidence.