§ 48. Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give the annual total of sheep worried by dogs for the last convenient date.
§ The Minister of Agriculture (Major Sir Thomas Dugdale)According to reports received from every county council in Great Britain, about 6,000 sheep were killed and 4,000 injured by dogs during 1950.
§ Mr. Gerald WilliamsWill the Minister tell the House if talks with the N.F.U. on this subject have now been concluded, and if so what was the result?
§ Mr. JohnsonIs the Minister aware that this chronic scourge has now become endemic in many places, particularly in my own county of Warwick, and knowing his sympathy in this matter, may I ask him if he can advise or suggest some method of dealing with it.
§ Sir T. DugdaleI would inform my hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge (Mr. G. Williams) that proposals for dealing with sheep worrying were put forward by the N.F.U. shortly after the present Government took office and they are now under examination. I entirely agree with the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) and would welcome suggestions from any hon. Member as to the best way of dealing with this menace which is becoming extremely serious.