HC Deb 29 November 1956 vol 561 cc562-3
24. Mr. Hurd

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that scientific investigation by his Department has shown that the virus of foot-and-mouth disease is preserved by cold and destroyed by heat, if he will test the practicability of requiring the flash heating of Argentine meat before it is chilled or frozen for shipment to the United Kingdom.

Mr. Amory

I am advised that although flash heating might destroy surface contamination, it would not destroy the virus of foot-and-mouth disease in an infected carcase where it may be present throughout the meat and the bone marrow.

Mr. Hurd

Will my right hon. Friend please not be deterred by that advice because the modern infra-red rays have a wonderfully penetrating effect, and it could do no possible harm to try this out on half a dozen carcases of infected meat?

Mr. Amory

I will certainly bear in mind what my hon. Friend has said.

30. Mr. Dye

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have occurred amongst farm animals this year in England and Wales; what has been the source of infection; and how it was brought into the areas infected.

Mr. Amory

There have been 144 confirmed outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in England and Wales this year of which 23 are classified as primaries. In many of the primary cases infection is attributed to direct or indirect contact with raw meat or bones from South American carcases distributed through normal trade channels. In the others the origin is obscure.

Mr. Dye

In view of the fact that the cause of these outbreaks is imported meat, will not the Minister make it an offence to import into this country meat infected with foot-and-mouth disease? Or will he arrange effective examinations at the port in order to prevent this meat from being imported?

Mr. Amory

Every possible precaution that we can think of is taken at present. We have veterinary officers of our own in South America who inspect the arrangements for inspection and themselves inspect many of the carcases by sampling, but however efficient the check by inspection is made, it cannot entirely eliminate the risk of the transfer of the disease.