§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslopasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the connection between salmon disease and the discharge 384W into rivers of non-biodestructible detergents in processed sewage established by authorities in Australia, details of which are in his possession; what investigations have been conducted into this matter by or on behalf of his own Department; and what conclusions he has reached.
§ Mr. PriorI am aware of work done in Austria seeking to establish a connection between a fish disease and the presence of detergents in water. Scientists of my Department took part in a recent symposium at which this work was discussed, but they are not satisfied that the condition in question is specific to salmon or that it is UDN—the salmon disease which has affected our stocks over the past five years; nor do they consider that the alleged connection between detergents and salmon disease would justify research in this country.