§ Mr. Hoosonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the machinery of co-ordination between his Department and the Ministry of Health on 30th August, 1967, concerning the representations made about the condition of the 770 lamb carcases from the Argentine at the abattoir of the Fatstock Marketing Corporation at Wrexham;
(2) what was the state of the 770 lamb carcases from the Argentine, sent to Wrexham on 29th August, 1967;
(3) what reply the deputy veterinary officer gave to representations made by the Wrexham public health authority on 30th August regarding the condition of 770 lamb carcases held by the Fatstock Marketing Corporation and received from the Argentine;
(4) why the 770 lamb carcases from the Argentine, held responsible for the initial outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, were transferred from Manchester to Wrexham;
(5) whether the 770 lamb carcases from the Argentine held responsible for the initial spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the recent epidemic, were directed to Manchester before being transferred to Wrexham;
(6) what representations were made to his Department, and in particular to the assistant chief veterinary officer on 30th August, regarding the condition of the 770 lamb carcases from the Argentine, sent to Wrexham;
(7) who authorised the release of the 770 lamb carcases from the Argentine held at Wrexham on 30th August by the Fatstock Marketing Corporation.
§ Mr. PeartThe lamb referred to was unloaded at London on 23rd August and dispatched immediately by the purchasers to their depot at Wrexham. It was never stored in Manchester.
On 25th August the Public Health Laboratories reported the presence, in samples taken from lamb offals from Establishment 1408 in an earlier cargo, 193W of a strain of Salmonella not previously known in this country. A similar strain had been isolated in connection with an outbreak of disease in Manchester.
The Port Health Authorities were immediately notified and they, as the enforcing authorities under the Imported Food Regulations, stopped all further releases of meat originating from Establishment 1408, pending further investigation.
The Public Health Authorities concerned were informed of this action and on 30th August the Wrexham Authority sought guidance from my Department on the disposal of the lamb which had already been released by the Port Health Authority. No representations were made on the condition of the lamb. They were referred to the Ministry of Health in accordance with standing instructions. I understand that the Ministry of Health advised that the Wrexham Authority appeared to have no ground to justify the detention of these carcases as unfit for human consumption.
All samples taken by the Port of London Health Authority from the lamb in this shipment were negative for Salmonella, and the action described was precautionary only. All the lamb in this shipment including the 770 carcases at Wrexham was released for consumption. Part of the earlier cargo from which unsatisfactory results had been reported was condemned by the Port Health Authority and destroyed; the remainder was released after the usual tests.
No link was ever established between any of this meat and the Manchester infection.
My Veterinary Attaché in Buenos Aires inspected Establishment 1408 on 24th July and again on 31st August following upon the action described. His reports, on both occasions were satisfactory. As a further precautionary measure shipments had been suspended from this Establishment but they were allowed to be resumed on 13th September.