§ Mr. Clive Bossomasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the recent outbreak of fowl pest in Herefordshire; and how this outbreak was caused.
Mr. VaneBetween 19th–31st March there have been nineteen confirmed outbreaks of fowl pest in Herefordshire, the first occurring on premises which were already under movement restrictions because of contact, through a Herefordshire poultry slaughterer's vehicle, with an outbreak in Gloucestershire. With one exception, the subsequent eighteen outbreaks appear to be linked directly or indirectly to the slaughterer's premises. The origin of infection in the remaining outbreak is still under investigation.
The disease was possibly taken to the slaughterer's premises on 8th–9th March by a consignment of birds from a Gloucestershire farm on which fowl pest was confirmed on 13th March. This consignment was the subject of a veterinary inquiry at the owner's request on 6th March, but no reason was found for suspecting fowl pest at the time. It now seems possible that the consignment was in the earliest stages of infection.
§ Mr. Clive Bossomasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the amount paid out by his 3W Department to owners of poultry suffering from fowl pest and slaughtered in the past twelve months in the county of Herefordshire.
Mr. VaneIn April, 1961, there were four outbreaks of fowl pest in Herefordshire and £733 was paid to owners whose birds were slaughtered. The county was then free of the disease until 18th March this year but since that date there have been nineteen outbreaks and it is estimated that compensation for these will amount to a total of about £21,000.