§ 2.40 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the present outbreaks of foot and mouth disease should be regarded as endemic and therefore more serious than any previously experienced in the United Kingdom; whether with a view to eradicating this disease Her Majesty's Government will arrange for the segregation of those persons and vehicles liable to spread infection owing to contact with infected animals or premises, so as to prevent the spread of the virus to other regions that present policy freely allows; and whether only the animals visibly affected should be slaughtered, the remainder of the herd being inoculated and quarantined.]
955§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LORD CARRINGTON)My Lords, foot and mouth disease is not endemic in this country, and the present series of outbreaks is not as serious as some of those experienced in the past, notably in the years 1922 to 1924, and 1942. The Foot and Mouth Disease Order of 1928 provides that no person or vehicle shall leave an infected place without a licence granted by an inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture, and only then subject to specified conditions as to disinfection. I think that these regulations go as far as is practicable to prevent the spread of the disease by these agencies. Foot and mouth disease is one of the most infectious known in either veterinary or human medicine, and it is not practicable to quarantine animals effectively on farms. The method of isolation was tried to a limited extent in the outbreaks in 1922–24 and was condemned by the Departmental Committee that inquired into those outbreaks.
I am glad to be able to tell your Lordships that good progress has been made with the tracing of animals that passed through certain markets and that although the disease is still active in Cheshire and some neighbouring counties, my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries hopes to be able in the near future to announce a reduction in the area under control.
LORD SEMPILLI beg to thank the noble Lord for the reply he has given to my Question. If his hope that the matter is now in hand and that the nuisance is dying out proves to be borne out in practice, well and good. If not, I propose to bring, forward a Motion for debate in your Lordships' House at some near future date. I suggest now, however, that care should be taken to see that those motor vehicles which every day are coming in from infected areas on the Continent should be dealt with suitably. One knows that they are coming to this country and, by reason of the fact that they are not being decontaminated, may well he spreading the disease.
§ VISCOUNT BLEDISLOEMy Lords, arising out of the last part of my noble friend's Question, if I may say so I entirely agree with what the noble Lord has said in reply. But may I ask, either 956 of him or of the noble Lord, Lord Woolton, this question: to what extent are the carcases of slaughtered animals—more than 50 per cent. of which are from animals that are not diseased and are not in contact with diseased animals—being placed in cold storage for consumption next winter when, of course, the meat position may be more serious than it is to-day?
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, I am afraid that I am not able to answer that point, which does not really arise out of the Question put by the noble Lord, Lord Semphill. Perhaps my noble friend will put down a Question, or I shall be happy to write to him on the subject.