§ Mr. MOLTENOasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has received communications from the agricultural committees of the county councils of Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire in regard to the Swine-Fever Orders which have been recently issued; whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction which exists in regard to these orders; whether he can see his way to have these orders consolidated into one so as to avoid continual reference from one order to another; and whether he can arrange to send a representative of the Board down to the districts named to confer with the local 2491W authorities with a view to mitigating any unnecessary hardships which have been created by these orders?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes, I have received representations from the local authorities of Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire as to the orders to which my hon. Friend refers. I am aware that their issue has caused dissatisfaction in some quarters, and I am considering what modifications it may be possible to make with regard to them. One of the two orders is only of local application, and it could not conveniently be consolidated with the order which applies to the country generally. I will gladly adopt the suggestion made by my hon. Friend in the concluding paragraph of this question.