§ Sir R. Russellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will explain why Great Britan and most other European countries except Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic suffered from some outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the five years 1965 to 1969, while the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand had none; and what lessons can be learned from their immunity.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartMost European countries which experience the disease either have to import a proportion of their animal or meat requirements or have only recently reduced the incidence of the disease. In a few the disease is endemic. Circumstances in the four disease-free countries quoted are different from those in Europe. These countries have either never experienced the disease or eradicated it many years ago.