§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether Irish stock-owners forwarded him a 1855W sample of the non-eatable fodder supplied to animals at Wallasey and Birkenhead; and what steps he proposes to take to rectify the hardships inflicted on the animals and the injustice imposed on their owners?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have received no sample of the fodder supplied at Wallasey and Birkenhead, nor have I received any complaint about its quality. If the hon. Member Will supply me with exact information about any specific case on which the general allegation of hardship and injustice is based, I will inquire into it at once.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether experience has shown him that it is unnecessary to feed animals immediately before their being slaughtered, and if he will dispense with the enforcement of the Order as regards such animals; whether he will state what is the nature of the food supplied or intended to be given to young lambs during the hours of detention; and whether, if it is found to be impracticable to forcibly feed them, he will allow them to proceed to their destination without detention?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am well aware that it is unnecessary for animals to be fed immediately before slaughter, and the Order to which I understand the hon. Member to refer does not require any animal to be fed unnecessarily. The nature of the food to be supplied when necessary depends upon the circumstances of each case. With regard to lambs in particular, I have nothing to add at present to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on the 17th March.