§ 48. Mr. Hastingsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement as to the present position of myxomatosis infection of rabbits; and to what extent rabbits are returning to areas previously decimated by the disease.
Mr. AmoryMyxomatosis still persists in small pockets of rabbits in some parts of Cheshire, Cumberland, Hampshire, Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire while odd rabbits with the disease are occasionally appearing in other areas. A sprinkling of healthy rabbits is now being found in most areas previously cleared by the disease.
§ 49. Mr. Hastingsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the total acreage of England and Wales has now been scheduled as a rabbit-free area; how this position compares with that of a year ago; and to what extent the freedom from these pests is being maintained in such areas.
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Mr. AmorySeven-eighths of England and Wales has now been designated as rabbit clearance areas under the Pests Act, 1954; a year ago only Anglesey had been so designated. A sprinkling of rabbits is now being found in most areas, but farmers generally are co-operating with county agricultural executive committees to keep their numbers down.