§ 7. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the origin of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease which necessitated the closing of Stanley abattoir, Liverpool, has yet been established and if he will state the numbers of outbreaks in 1956 and 1957 which his Department attributes to South American meat, infection brought from the Continent by birds and other means, and to unknown causes, respectively.
§ Mr. GodberThe Ministry's veterinary officers consider that infection was probably carried from outbreaks in Denbighshire to the Liverpool abattoir. In 1956, seventeen primary outbreaks were attributed to South American meat and eleven to the spread of infection from the Continent of Europe, and in four cases the origin was obscure. The comparable figures for 1957 are twenty-three, seventeen and three respectively.
§ Sir A. Bossomasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the anxiety among farmers due to the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease arising from imports of Argentine beef and if he will direct this imported beef away from farming, and thoroughly investigate this situation to enable a remedy to be provided.
§ Mr. John HareI am aware of the anxiety to which my hon. Friend draws attention but I am satisfied that the comprehensive arrangements in operation in the Argentine substantially reduce the188W risk of the virus of foot-and-mouth disease reaching this country in consignments of carcase meat. I am hopeful that further progress in this direction will be found possible. The problem is under constant study both here and in the Argentine.
I have no power to interfere in the distribution of meat.