§ Mr. J. Idwal Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesAt the end of February and beginning of March there was a period of three weeks in which no outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease occurred. Since then there have been 20 outbreaks. All were in that part of the West Midlands which was most heavily infected at the time of the recent epidemic. Of these outbreaks, 12 occurred on farms which had previously had the disease, and eight were on farms not previously infected.
It is disappointing but not unexpected that the disease continues to show itself in the infected area. Almost half a million animals had to be slaughtered because they were infected or were in contact with infected animals. The virus multiplies rapidly in host animals and a great weight of infection was left behind in this comparatively small part of the country which is still heavily stocked. This appears to be a resistant strain of the virus and even the most careful disinfection cannot be guaranteed to remove it entirely from every part of the whole area of infection. Everything possible is being done to minimise the risk of fresh outbreaks on restocked farms and to prevent the spread of disease when outbreaks occur.
The great need now is to stamp out the virus immediately it appears and before it has an opportunity to multiply itself again. It continues to be of the greatest importance that farmers, particularly those in the infected area, should exercise the greatest care and vigilance and report any suspicious symptoms in their animals with no loss of time. Members of the public should not go on to farm land in the infected area unless it is absolutely necessary and after obtaining the farmer's consent.