§ 59. Sir A. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the further measures announced by the Argentine Secretary of Agriculture to confine foot-and-mouth disease in Argentina will reduce the risk of infection being brought here in meat from Argentina; and if he proposes to have further consultations with the Argentine authorities to ensure that everything possible is done to minimise this risk.
§ Mr. SoamesI hope the new measures will have a good effect, but we can only wait and see. My officers stationed in the Argentine are in close touch with the authorities there, who are well aware of our views.
§ Sir A. HurdCan my right hon. Friend tell us a little more about the probable effect of the measures to be taken by the Argentine authorities? Do we understand that compulsory vaccination is to be introduced over a wide area of the Argentine, including particularly stock moving into the meat works that ultimately may come here?
§ Mr. SoamesA decree has been passed into law enabling regulations to be made for compulsory vaccination, and I understand that a start is likely to be made shortly.