§ Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Health on what grounds it was agreed at a recent conference held in his Department that a relaxation should be made in the methods of inspection of mutton imported from Australia for caseous lymphadenitis, and that in future only 5 per cent. of Australian carcases should be examined instead of 10 per cent. as formerly?
§ Miss LAWRENCEAt the conference which was recently held between port medical officers of health and officers of980W my Department, it was reported that during the past year there had been a substantial improvement in the condition of mutton and lamb carcases from Australia. It was, therefore, considered that the normal routine percentage examination of carcases from this source might safely be reduced from 10 to 5 per cent. The arrangement is intended to operate for six months, after which it may be reviewed; it does not of course affect the obligation on the officers of the port, authority to make whatever further inspections may appear in any particular case to be desirable on grounds of public health.
§ Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Health the number of imported mutton 981W carcases forwarded, respectively, from the ports of London and Southampton to the urban sanitary areas of Reading, Northampton and Cambridge during the months of November and December last, with notifications that the same awaited inspection for the disease of caseous lymphadenitis; how many were examined at those centres, respectively; and what proportion was seized and condemned?
§ Miss LAWRENCEMy right hon. Friend will have inquiries made and let my hon. Friend know the result.
§ Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that a recent consignment of imported mutton from South America was landed at Southampton and 10 per cent. of the consignment examined by the port sanitary authority of that place, with the result that about 1 per cent. of the consignment was condemned for caseous lymphadenitis, and that part of the consignment was afterwards forwarded to a cold store in the City of London and examined in detail by the City authorities, with the result that a greater percentage of the consignment was condemned, whether he will say to what other centres besides the City of London were consignments made from the same shipment of mutton; whether any of the other authorities also made detailed inspections of the goods, and what proportion was condemned; and whether, as the whole system of inspection against disease has broken down and many infected joints are sold to the public weekly, he will at once set up a Departmental Committee to take evidence on the matter and devise methods whereby the evasions existing at present may be adequately coped with?
§ Miss LAWRENCEMy right hon. Friend will have inquiries made with regard to the particular case to which my hon. Friend refers. My right hon. Friend does not, however, agree that the system of inspection has broken down, nor does it appear to him that a Departmental Committee on the subject is required.