§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what action is taken by his Department when American mildew on gooseberry bushes is discovered in a private garden where from one to twenty bushes may be growing; whether he will state in how many cases the whole garden of bushes has been destroyed; if any compensation has been paid to the owners; and on what basis calculated?
§ Sir HARRY VERNEYThe procedure adopted in the cases to which the hon. Member refers does not differ from that adopted in respect of large areas. A notice is served upon the occupier declaring the premises to be infected premises under the American Gooseberry Mildew Order. At a later date a second notice is 1269W served requiring the occupier to cut off and destroy before a given date all infective wood. The Board do not require the destruction of any bush, nor do they pay compensation for the portions removed and destroyed, as the latter are of no value.