§ Mr. RENDALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether the arrangement sanctioned for enabling officers to purchase their war horses, other than such horses as they previously sold to the Government, only at an auction sale, involves animal collecting camps and risks of the horses being infected with disease, as well as inflation of prices, the result of the officers' names being clapped on the animals; and will he consider allowing the sale of all horses to officers who have ridden them at a valuation?
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Captain GUESTThe risk of animals being infected in collecting camps is not greater than would occur if they were sent to this country direct from their units. A careful veterinary examination is carried out before any animal is admitted to a collecting camp, and strict supervision is exercised in the camps. Officers and other ranks are permitted to clip their names on animals they wish to purchase in order to identify them during transit to the home depot from which they will be sold, but the name, is obliterated and a number substituted before dispatch to the sale yard, and I do not think that possible inflation of prices can arise from this procedure. I regret I cannot adopt the suggestion contained in the last part of my hon. Friend's question, which has already been considered.