§ 12. Mr. Crawleyasked the Minister of Food how far the prevalence of foot and mouth disease in France is responsible for the low level of meat imports from that country; and what measures are being taken to make this meat harmless.
§ Mr. StracheyThe low level of meat imports from France up to the present has been due to a general shortage of meat in that country and not to the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease. The French Government believe that beginning next October appreciable quantities of meat will be available for export to us—and we shall of course be very ready to buy them. In co-operation with the French authorities we have arranged that the livestock concerned shall be drawn only from areas which are believed to be free from foot-and-mouth disease and kept segregated from other animals so as to minimise any risk of importing infected meat.