§ 32. Sir J. Gilmourasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of cattle hides is represented by those with open warble holes which have been presented for processing in Scotland in each of the months from April to July in the last five years.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithWarble infestation is not a notifiable disease. I understand however that in the last five years the percentage of hides with open warble holes has ranged from 0.63 per cent. in 1968 to 2.48 per cent. in 1971.
§ Sir J. GilmourDoes not my hon. Friend agree, in the light of scientific knowledge which is available to control the warble fly, that it is very disappointing that the hide industry is being penalised because the farmers are not actively employed in killing the warbles when they should do so?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithAs long as it is the farmers and not the Government who are being castigated for not killing the warble! My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the matter, because it is very much to the farmers' own financial advantage to take the precautions where they are needed. I congratulate him on raising the question in this way in the House today.