§ LORD RAGLANasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the reply to the supplementary question asked on February 17 about prosecution for spreading myxomatosis needs any further clarification.
§ LORD DENHAMWhen replying to Questions on February 17 about rabbit clearance societies and myxomatosis, I gave the information that no prosecutions had been brought under Section 12 of the Pests Act 1954 for spreading myxomatosis. I should have said that I had no knowledge of any such cases, as it has now been brought to my notice that a farmer was fined £5 with 10 gns costs for this offence in a prosecution brought by the R.S.P.C.A. in 1958; and there was an earlier case in 1955 in which the defendants were found not guilty. It is possible that further research would reveal other cases.
House adjourned at twenty-two minutes before five o'clock.