HC Deb 21 February 1967 vol 741 c258W
Viscount Lambton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why, when Mr. Foster, a school teacher from Chester-le-Street, asked the Foot-andMouth Research Centre in Rothbury last year during the epidemic if he could take a party of school children through the area he was informed that the Pennine Way was still open when it was not.

Mr. Peart

Because it was not closed under the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (Infected Areas Restrictions) Order, 1938.

Viscount Lambton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the facts that incessant use of the humane killer in Northumberland last year caused the weapon to become hot and resulted in inefficient killing and that in large-scale killings spare humane killers should be available, he will ensure that in future outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease two spare humane killers are made available to each slaughterer.

Mr. Peart

I have no evidence to show that the assumption in the first part of the Question is correct. Normally, slaughtermen bring their own weapons and spare humane killers are available. The supply of these weapons is under review.

Viscount Lambton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many and on which farms animals originally regarded as dead were later finally destroyed by humane killers, or hand action; and what was the period between the original intended killings and the animal's actual death in the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Northumberland last summer.

Mr. Peart

These questions are dealt with in the statement I am making on 22nd February.