§ 27. Mr. Crouchasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will make a statement on the research into virus pneumonia in pigs.
Mr. AmoryRecent research has shown that a number of different causes give rise to the condition known as virus pneumonia in pigs. These are being studied at the Department of Animal Pathology, Cambridge, the Agricultural Research Council's Field Station, Compton and at the Glasgow University. Other animal research institutes are building up virus-free herds of pigs free from all symptoms of this condition.
§ Mr. CrouchIf a solution can be found for virus pneumonia, would that make a great difference in our production of bacon?
§ Mr. de FreitasIs it not a fact that the figures which the Minister has given recently about the amount of public money spent on research into pig diseases is very small compared with the losses each year to the industry from diseases? When does he intend to do something about that?
Mr. AmoryI do not disagree with what the hon. Member has said, but as I told him then—or, if I did not tell him, as I should have liked to tell him—the limitation at present in this matter of research, as in most other matters of agricultural research, is not so much a financial limitation as one which arises, from the scarcity of qualified men able to devote themselves to the research. I should be glad to see the scale of this research work expanded.