HC Deb 08 December 1960 vol 631 c1433
59. Sir A. Hurd

asked 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. Soames

I 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. Hurd

Can 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. Soames

A 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.

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