§ 12. Miss Fookesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends to include the Dartmoor National Park as a brucellosis eradication area.
§ Mr. StrangYes. As I stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy) on 19th January, compulsory measures for the eradication of brucellosis will be extended to the rest of Devon from 1st November 1977.—[Vol. 903, c. 338–340.]
§ Miss FookesWill the Minister explain why there is to be a delay of nearly two years, especially as he has not admitted to any shortage of "vets" in response to a Written Question which I took the precaution of putting down?
§ Mr. StrangI am glad that the hon. Lady has noticed that the Government have achieved remarkable success in the staffing of the State Veterinary Service. In Devon there is a fixed number of veterinary officers, and their time will be taken up with the eradication programme for the eastern part of the county.
§ Mr. GouldWill my hon. Friend declare the whole of the United Kingdom a "Brussels-osis" eradication area?
§ Mr. StrangThe Government went a long way towards achieving their objective by announcing earlier this month that we intended to complete the eradication of brucellosis in this country in the early 1980s.
§ Mr. Peter MillsWill the Minister consider ghosting on Dartmoor, as replacements for the Moor have to be borne and reared on the Moor and a gap of two or three years would result in heavy losses to the hill farmers on Dartmoor? Will the Minister accept the principle of ghosting?
§ Mr. StrangThe hon. Gentleman will have noticed that a considerable number of herds—our latest figure is 560—are currently registered as accredited within the voluntary eradication scheme. He will also appreciate that the Ministry is encouraging other herds to enter into groups and to become voluntarily accredited, which is all to the good in the supply of replacements.