§ LORD STRACHIEMy Lords, I have given notice to the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries that I would ask him a Question as regards a reported outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Somerset at a place I know very well—Queen Camel. There was a report in the Press either on 937 Saturday or Sunday to the effect that a serious outbreak had occurred in Queen Camel and also in the adjoining parish of Sparkford. At a meeting of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, at which I was present to-day, I was told that they had had no notification of any outbreak, and I think that in the interests of agriculture generally, more especially in Somerset, we should have a definite statement one way or the other. I hope the noble Lord will be able to tell me that this was merely a rumour and that no outbreak has occurred.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LORD BLEDISLOE)My Lords, a case was reported on Sunday afternoon, July 24, at Queen Camel, near Yeovil, one heifer being suspected out of a herd of 27 cattle. The Ministry's inspector visited the premises on the same evening, but owing to failing light could not make a conclusive diagnosis. As a precautionary measure the Emergency Restrictions Order was imposed, covering a radius of fifteen miles of the suspected premises. The Ministry's inspector visited the premises again on Monday, July 25, but it was not until he made a third examination of the suspected animal and of the other animals on the premises, on Tuesday afternoon, July 26, that he was able to say definitely that the case was not one of foot-and-mouth disease. The restrictions were accordingly withdrawn last night.