§ Mr. Cledwyn Hughesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an up-to-date assessment of the losses caused by the fowlpest epidemic; and if he will now set up an independent inquiry into the causes and consequences of the present outbreak, including the advisability of using live vaccine.
§ Mr. PriorBy 13th January there were 3,938 outbreaks involving flocks with about 26½ million birds. No information is available on the number of birds which have died from the disease but in some flocks which have not been properly vaccinated losses have been high. I am not satisfied that an inquiry would be justified.