The Earl of DALKEITHasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he proposes to give effect to the urgent and repeated appeals of the Teviotdale Farmers' Club, the Farmers' Union of Scotland, and other agricultural bodies, and schedule the areas in the country where sheep scab exists, and insist on the dipping, under competent supervision, of the sheep therein, with a view to stamping out the disease, place the restrictions on the movement of sheep from these areas which they think necessary and which they think would be effective in prevent- 1323W ing the disease being conveyed therefrom ovr the rest of the country, and see that free movement of sheep is permitted by all local authorities?
§ Mr. BUXTONIt is already the policy of the Ministry to schedule the areas most heavily infected with sheep-scab so as to require the double dipping of ali sheep therein and prohibit the movement of sheep out of such areas unless they have been so dipped. Sheep scab is still, however, so widely diffused, the disease being certified to exist in no fewer than 51 counties in England and Wales, and 20 counties in Scotland during 1923, that such a policy is insufficient to prevent the spread of infection and to protect clean counties. The Regulations made by local authorities under the Sheep Scab Order of 1920, requiring the double-dipping of sheep before or immediately after arrival in their districts, are of a protective character, and act as a useful check upon the spread of this disease. The Sheep Scab Order of 1923, which renders the sheep owner liable to legal proceedings if he fails to take adequate measures to cure his sheep and keep them from scab, comes into full operation on the 1st July, 1924, and until that Order has had time to effect a considerable reduction in the prevalence of the disease as is anticipated, the Ministry is not prepared to interfere with the existing powers of local authorities to protect their own districts.