§ 42. Mr. H. Hyndasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further consideration he has given to the problem of brucellosis in cattle; and if he will now prohibit the sale of a suspected animal until suspicion is cleared.
Mr. VaneAs I explained to the hon. Member on 7th December and subsequently in correspondence, our policy is to attack this disease by means of calfhood vaccination, and my right hon. Friend is starting a free calf vaccination service on 1st May next. We are satisfied that movement controls, apart from those imposed by the Epizootic Abortion Order, 1922, would not be practicable or useful at the present time.
§ Mr. HyndIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that vaccination does nothing to prevent milk passing on infection to human beings? Has he studied foreign legislation on the point; for example, the regulations in New York? Why does he defend a system that enables an animal known to be infected to be sold?
Mr. VaneWe have, of course, studied foreign legislation but, at the present time, movement controls of themselves would not be of practical value because, since vaccination has taken place at varying ages according to the herd concerned, it is very difficult to identify the infected cattle, and without identifying all the infected cattle it is not possible to operate a system of eradication. After several years of vaccination of 1529 calves, things may change when further steps may be taken.
§ Mr. HyndOwing to the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I will seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.