§ Mr. POLLOCKasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the restrictions affecting parts of Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Northamptonshire imposed by the Board's recent Order relating to foot-and-mouth disease were put in force owing to the occurrence of any outbreak of that disease in the district to which the Order applied?
§ Mr. ACLANDNo, Sir. The restrictions in question were on the 14th instant imposed as a matter of precaution, it having been ascertained that certain calves which had been removed from the premises near Wells, Somerset, shortly before foot-and-mouth disease had been found to exist thereon, had been disposed of by a cattle dealer who trades both at Banbury and at Stratford-on-Avon, and that the dealer had on his home premises near Kineton, Warwickshire, two calves exhibiting symptoms suspicious of that disease. By the 22nd instant, the veterinary officers of the Board had become satisfied that none of the calves under suspicion were affected with foot-and-mouth disease, and the restrictions were accordingly removed. It will, I think, be generally admitted that the circumstances justified the action920W taken, notwithstanding the local inconvenience which it inevitably entailed. I am glad to be in a position to inform the House that there has been no outbreak of the disease other than that on the premises near Wells.