§ 3.12 p.m.
§ LORD KILMANYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what action has been taken following the statement of the Chairman of the National Egg Producer Retailers' Association that broiler chickens suffering from fowl pest are being sold to the public and whether they are now satisfied that danger from this source of infection no longer arises.]
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, the movement of poultry for slaughter from premises infected with fowl pest is authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture only when the consignment has been found by a veterinary officer to be free from evidence of fowl pest. Licences are available for up to two days, but if in the meantime the poultry concerned show symptoms of disease they may not be moved. Movements of the kind referred to by the Chairman of the National Egg Producer Retailers' Association are therefore illegal. Immediately he made his statement, the Association was asked to provide evidence to support it. Information relating to a single case has now been provided and is under urgent investigation. I will write to the noble Lord when these inquiries have been completed.
§ LORD KILMANYMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that very reassuring reply, may I ask him whether he will bear in mind that the Chairman's statement in fact received wide publicity; and will my noble friend therefore do what he can to ensure that the Answer he has now given to the House is circulated to all the trade journals concerned?
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, believe it is normal for the trade journals to watch Questions in your Lordships' House, but I will ensure that their particular attention is drawn to this Answer.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether the Government are considering having a wide-ranging and thorough inquiry into all the procedures affected by the control of this pest? I have in mind something along the lines of the inquiry we had into the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, I am sure the noble Lord is aware that when a similar question was put to the Parliamentary Secretary in another place a few days ago he said that he would consider the suggestion. I am afraid that I cannot add anything further at the moment.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, can the noble Earl tell the House how one diagnoses fowl pest in a human being?
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, I should hesitate to take on the noble Baroness in connection with such a matter, but so far as I know fowl pest can produce conjunctivitis, which in itself is short-lived and has no residual effect. Beyond that I am afraid I am not in a position to give the actual diagnosis.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl a further question? If, therefore, even he has not been informed by the Department what the symptoms are, how is it possible for any doctor in the country to diagnose this condition and then in turn inform such people as the owners of broiler houses that they are infecting the population?
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, as I am sure the noble Baroness will appreciate, conjunctivitis can be produced in human beings by other means than fowl pest.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLCertainly, my Lords.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, I am afraid I cannot tell the noble Baroness how to differentiate between conjunctivitis contracted through fowl pest and conjunctivitis contracted in other ways. Whether she is in a position to inform the House, I do not know.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLNo, my Lords, I am not.
§ LORD PARGITERMy Lords, having regard to the fact that conjunctivitis can be introduced by fowl pest, I wonder whether the members of the Government might suffer from it from time to time?