§ Rear-Admiral BEAMISHasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can state the believed cause of the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Sussex; if he has any information show- 1563W ing whether it is possible for the disease to be communicated from contaminated imported grain; and if any case of such communication is known?
Mr. BUXTONTwo theories of the method of infection in the recent Sussex outbreak have been investigated but no conclusive evidence is forthcoming. The first is that infection came from a stream, from which the animals drank, draining the effluent from a sewerage farm on which was a refuse dump. Against this theory is the fact that none of the many other animals which also drank from this stream became diseased. The second is that infection came from imported oats. 28 quarters of "Plate" oats were purchased on the 16th May and mixed with the owner's home-grown oats and fed to all stock on the farm. This mixed corn was finished on 16th October. Had infection come in the oats, it is difficult to see why animals should not have become infected soon after the oats were first fed in May and during the summer. It might have been expected also that oats from the same cargo would have taken disease to other farms. It is possible that foreign cereals might convey the virus of foot-and-mouth disease to this country, but no conclusive evidence has been obtained. In this connection it should be borne in mind that there are but few farms in Britain on to which these cereals are not taken.
§ Rear-Admiral BEAMISHasked the Minister of Agriculture what research is now in progress to combat foot-and-mouth disease; what progress in such research has been made during the past year; and is it still the policy of the Government to slaughter where disease breaks out?
Mr. BUXTONThe Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Committee which was set up in 1924 has already published three progress reports. The investigations which have been carried on during the past year at five laboratories have been continued on the line's already laid down and described in the Committee's third report, of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy. Valuable additions have been made to the know ledge already acquired, and it is hoped that a further report on the work of the Committee may be published next year. The answer to the last part of the hon. and gallant Member's question is in the affirmative.