THE EARL OF DESARTMy Lords, I rise to ask His Majesty's Government as to the position regarding foot and mouth disease in the South and South-East of Ireland; and when it may be hoped that the Ports of Wexford and Waterford will be re-opened for the cattle trade. I hope that in putting this Question it will not be thought that I have any desire to make an attack upon the Board of Agriculture. My Question is only put in the desire to seek information in the very difficult situation of hardship in which the farmers in Ireland find themselves owing to the unfortunate outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in various parts of that country. I have put my Question in a rather extensive form, but I hope my meaning has been understood. I am more particularly interested in the county of Kilkenny. We share, in our freedom from disease, the position of Wexford, Carlow, and Waterford—a somewhat undeserved position in one sense because in none of those counties has there been any case of foot and mouth disease. No one will appreciate more than the noble Marquess who leads the House that it is, especially for small men, a great hardship that at this time of the year when they calculated on getting their cattle out they should be in 933 this position. The position is a very distressing one, and I am sure the noble Marquess will understand my feeling strongly about it. There are two particular points to which I should like to refer. One is as to whether anything can be done about the stall-fed cattle. Could they not, after having obtained a veterinary surgeon's certificate, be brought over and slaughtered immediately? The other is with regard to districts where there is no disease. Could not pigs there be brought to the railway to go to the bacon merchants for immediate slaughter? Knowing how serious the disease is and how wide its ramifications may become, I should like to ask whether there is any prospect of improvement, and whether I can take back to Ireland with me when I go there shortly any message of hope or comfort to my neighbours.
THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (THE MARQUESS OF CREWE)My Lords, my noble friend who usually answers for the Irish Department is unable to be in his place, and therefore I have undertaken to answer the Question. I can assure my noble friend that I entirely appreciate the motives with which he has asked this Question, and I in no way yield to him in the sympathy I feel for the Irish farmers, more particularly for the smaller men who are placed in a position of great difficulty and disadvantage owing to these regulations. But, on the other hand, I do not see how any impartial person can deny that the continuance of these regulations is absolutely needful. There have been a number of fresh outbreaks during the last few days. There have been outbreaks in Cork, in Tipperary, and in Dublin. Until the Dublin case, which was reported on the 30th of last month, that county had been entirely free from the disease. It appeared apparently in two sets of premises adjoining each other at practically the same time. There have also been cases within the last ten days in County Kildare. In those circumstances it is very difficult, as I am sure the noble Earl will agree, to hold out prospects for easing the situation so far as cattle shipments from Waterford or Wexford are concerned. As regards the two specific questions asked by my noble friend, I will make inquiry as to both of them. He is aware, no doubt, that exportation for immediate slaughter is allowed from some of the Northern ports—Belfast, 934 Sligo, and Londonderry, if I remember rightly; but it is not possible to allow it from the Southern ports in the circumstances I have mentioned. It is not easy—although I am sure the Board of Agriculture will give the fullest consideration to any representations made—to see how, in the circumstances which I have detailed, those regulations can at present be relaxed as regards the South. But I will cause inquiry to be made about that point, and also the point about the pigs which my noble friend mentioned.