§ Mr. FIELDasked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether tuberculosis is included in the diseases scheduled in the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act; whether he can state under what section of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act or amendments thereof the Board has power to call upon local authorities to provide compensation for slaughtered tuberculous cows; and whether it is still proposed to issue the Tuberculosis Order of 1909, having regard to the fact that the Milk and Dairies Bill has been abandoned?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYTuberculosis is not one of the diseases specifically mentioned in the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, but the Board have power under Section 22 (xxxv.) of that Act to extend the definition of disease, and under Section 19 they may direct that animals may be slaughtered and compensation paid for them by local authorities out of the local rates. The reply to the last part of the question is in the negative, but the question of the postponement of its operation is under consideration.