§ Lieut.-Colonel LANE-FOXasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is satisfied with the methods of disinfecting 285W men employed in the slaughter and disposal of animals affected by foot-and-mouth disease; what are the processes employed to carry out such disinfection; and whether in any case he has been able to employ disciplined, rather than casual, labour, and so insist upon thorough disinfection before the men employed are turned loose among the community?
§ Mr. BUXTONI am satisfied that the methods of disinfecting men employed in the slaughter of animals affected with foot-and-mouth disease are as effective as it is practicable to make them in the conditions under which the slaughter and disposal of animals must be carried out. The men wear overalls supplied by the Ministry, and before leaving the premises they discard these overalls and are required to disinfect their boots, hands, knives, etc. With regard to the last part of the question, the Ministry was able on one occasion during the War to employ soldiers in connection with a severe outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at Bath, but I do not think it would be practicable, under present conditions, to obtain soldiers quickly enough to dispose of the carcases effectively. I am informed, moreover, that as Colonial meat is now supplied to troops, no slaughtering of cattle is carried out by the Army Service Corps, and, consequently, the number of butchers available would be very few.