§ 24. Mr. Crouchasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of single outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and the number of outbreaks at five or more farms in the same area, during the last twelve months; and the number in each group in the same period three years earlier.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. G. R. H. Nugent)There were nine primary outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease during the twelve months July, 1955, to June, 1956, and 27 during the corresponding period three years earlier. In no infected area were there outbreaks at five or more farms between July, 1955, and June, 1956. In 1952–53, there were five, but the size of an infected area then was larger than it is now.
§ Mr. CrouchDoes my hon. Friend ascribe the diminution of the primary outbreaks to myxomatosis amongst rabbits? Does he think that rabbits spread foot-and-mouth disease and that it is as a result of having fewer rabbits that we have fortunately had such a small number of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease?
§ Mr. NugentNo, Sir. All the evidence is that myxomatosis affects only rabbits and, very occasionally, hares.