Foot-and-Mouth Disease

HC Deb 12 December 1967 vol 756 cc103-5W

Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department gave advice on the stopping of pigeon racing during the foot-and-mouth epidemic; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Peart

All poultry on an infected place are required to be confined. Apart from this pigeon racing would not in itself constitute a risk, and my Department has not advised that it should be stopped.

Mr. Temple

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement regarding the offer to him, dated 25th November, by Mr. Stuart Ponsford-Raymond, for testing of two cows which had been receiving the protection of homeopathic borax; and what reply he has sent.

Mr. Peart

A letter has been sent to Mr. Ponsford-Raymond on my behalf expressing my gratitude for his generosity; explaining that I fully understand why he and his neighbours have been trying the use of borax in present circumstances, but that in the view of my veterinary advisers there is no value in this treatment; and declining his kind offer.

Mr. Temple

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the fact that the campaign to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease of the 0.1 strain may last for many months, if he will arrange for regular rest periods for his veterinary staff, and establish a strategic reserve ready to man new headquarters which may have to be set up in areas well away from the existing infected areas.

Mr. Peart

Yes, as far as practicable. A reserve to take charge of new centres is available.

Mr. Temple

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contingency plans he has for training suitable auxiliary personnel who would be needed in the event of vaccination of animals against foot-and-mouth disease having to be carried out concurrently with the present slaughter policy.

Mr. Peart

The arrangements for operating a vaccination programme should the need arise are complete. I have had excellent co-operation from veterinary surgeons in private practice and there is no need to train auxiliary personnel to undertake vaccination, though auxiliary personnel will be used to aid the veterinary surgeons.

Mr. Oakes

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what definite evidence he has that the present outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, or any previous outbreaks, have arisen from infection by imported meat from Argentina or Uruguay.

Mr. Peart

As I have already stated, I have no evidence of the origin of the present epidemic and reports that it is connected with imported meat are speculative. With regard to past outbreaks, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave on 8th December to the hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Kitson).—[Vol. 755, c.420–1.]

Viscount Lambton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what at the last census was the approximate number of cattle, sheep and pigs in the United Kingdom; what percentage of this number have so far been slaughtered; and at what percentage of infected animals he intends to abandon temporarily the policy of total slaughter.

Mr. Peart

The approximate numbers of cattle, sheep and pigs in the United Kingdom at the June, 1967 census were:

Cattle	12.3 million
Sheep	28.9 million
Pigs	7.1 million

The percentages of these numbers slaughtered so far in the present epidemic are:

Cattle	1.2 per cent.
Sheep	0.2 per cent.
Pigs	1.1 per cent.

A decision to depart from the present stamping-out policy would depend not only on the proportion of animals slaughtered, but on other factors as well.

Mr. Garrett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to help farmers who have lost their stock from foot-and-mouth disease.

Mr. Peart

In view of the exceptional difficulties caused by this severe and prolonged epidemic I intend to seek Parliamentary authority for a special ploughing-up grant of £10 an acre to help farmers in infected areas who have lost their stock and wish to expand their cropping as a temporary measure. Farmers who would otherwise have qualified for the beef cow, hill cow, and hill sheep subsidies will not lose those subsidies because their stock have been prematurely slaughtered, nor will they lose the calf subsidy because of the delay to inspections while my officers have been unable to visit farms. I shall arrange for payments under the Farm Improvement and Horticulture Improvement Schemes, to be made on account before final inspection of the work done. A number of other questions including the effect of taxation on compensation and supply of suitable replacement stock are being discussed with the Farmers' Union and I shall make a further statement as soon as possible. Meantime my technical services are ready to advise farmers on how they can best plan for getting back into production again.