§ 16. Lieut.-Commander Maydonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many separate outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been recorded in the last two years; what have been the numbers and value of stock destroyed to prevent further infection; and in how many cases the cause of infection has been established.
Mr. AmoryAs the reply includes a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Lieut.-Commander MaydonMy right hon. Friend is no doubt aware of the deep anxiety felt in farming circles about the possibility of the virus being imported in chilled or frozen meat. Can he say whether experiments have been going on 789 to see whether there are any methods of killing this virus when it comes in in imported meat?
| OUTBREAKS OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE—PERIOD 1ST JANUARY, 1956, TO 24m NOVEMBER, 1957 | ||||||
| — | Number of Outbreaks | Numbers of Stock Slaughtered | Total Value * | |||
| Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | Goats | |||
| £ | ||||||
| 1st January to 31st December, 1956 | 162 | 10,547 | 13,123 | 4,793 | 42 | 824,658 |
| 1st January to 24th November, 1957 | 131 | 8,750 | 12,300 | 3,920 | 15 | 692,000 (estimated) |
§ The probable cause of infection was established in 57 of the 65 primary outbreaks.
§ * Compensation paid on the basis of the value of each animal immediately before it became affected or was slaughtered as a dangerous contact.
§ 34. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his veterinary officers have been able to trace the source of the infection which made it necessary for him to declare the counties of Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, and Wiltshire, a controlled area last week; if the movements of all contact animals have now been traced; and when he expects to free this area from control.
Mr. AmoryNo definite conclusion has yet been reached as to the probable cause of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Hampshire last Monday. All the relevant movements, which numbered more than 2,500 from five markets, were traced by Thursday, 21st November. I hope to be able to remove the controlled area restrictions as from midnight tonight. I should like to take this opportunity to thank farmers, auctioneers, local and market authorities and the police, who have rendered invaluable help.
§ Mr. HurdDoes my right hon. Friend realise that all those concerned—and many thousands have been concerned—have been put to a good deal of trouble during recent days, and will he, in order to satisfy their curiosity, pursue his inquiries as to the origin and source of this infection?
§ The difficulty is that, according to the best advice I have, any such measures to kill the virus in the meat at that stage would destroy the value of the meat itself.
§ Following are the figures:
§ with me, on the other hand, that we have to adopt stern measures in these cases because the risks are so great. I can give him the assurance he asks for in the second part of his question.
§ 35. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to allay the anxiety expressed to him by the Royal Agricultural Society of England, the National Farmers' Union, and the Fatstock Marketing Corporation about the continuance of food-and-mouth disease outbreaks attributed to meat from South America.
Mr. AmoryEvery effort is made to reduce to a minimum the risk of carcase meat infected with the virus of foot-and-mouth disease reaching this country from South America. But the problem is under constant study, and I will gladly examine the proposals which I understand are to be sent to me by the organisations mentioned by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. HurdWill my right hon. Friend take the opportunity afforded by the presence in this country of the Argentine Minister of Agriculture to discuss with him ways and means by which we, who perhaps lead in research into foot-and-mouth disease, can help the Argentine to develop an effective safeguard by way of vaccination so that animals coming here in the form of frozen and chilled meat are 791 in fact vaccinated and made harmless for carrying disease before they are shipped?
Mr. AmoryI am hoping to meet the Argentine Minister of Agriculture this week, and this is a question which I hope to have an opportunity of discussing.