31 and 32. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the cost of preparing, printing, publishing and presenting to Parliament the Order, dated 17th July, 1958, authorising the landing at London of one white Persian goat; and when objection was last taken to an Order of this kind;
(2) if he will introduce legislation to repeal Section 27 (2) of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1950, with a view to saving money and reducing the amount of unnecessary printing and labour involved in laying the Orders concerned before Parliament.
§ Mr. John HareThe total cost of preparing, duplicating, publishing and presenting the Order to Parliament is estimated at £14, and of this the cost of presenting it to Parliament is £1. I have no record of any objection to an Order of this kind.
This goat joined the Army to see the world, and I particularly wish the House to take note of my Department's admirable arrangements for welcoming it home. I should be sorry to think that we might legislate ourselves out of such an opportunity.
Mr. Gresham CookeWhile, of course, agreeing about the importance of the control of the import of animals, is it not rather cumbersome to have to lay individual Orders before both Houses of Parliament in respect of the import of individual animals, even those as important as this goat?
§ Mr. HareOn the whole, the procedure works reasonably well, and there is not much point in trying to get it altered.
§ Sir J. DuncanIs my right hon. Friend aware that those who know more about this subject would deprecate any relaxation of restriction and in fact would welcome the restrictions being made even more strict than they now are?
§ Mr. HareAs my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) will have noticed, there are different views on this subject. On the whole, the present procedure works well.