HC Deb 22 December 1976 vol 923 cc178-9W
Mr. Newens

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will ensure that the greatest possible publicity is given to his campaign to eradicate chrysanthemum white rust disease;

(2) if he will publish a list of holdings on which outbreaks of chrysanthemum white rust disease have occurred and add to it any holdings on which outbreaks occur in future;

(3) if he will investigate the possibility of introducing a scheme to compensate growers whose holdings are affected by an outbreak of chrysanthemum white rust disease as part of his Department's eradication campaign;

(4) what research is currently being conducted into chrysanthemum white rust disease; and if he will initiate a programme to intensify this with a view to assisting the control and eradication of the disease.

Mr. Strang

The information about chrysanthemum white rust disease given in my Department's Current Topics on 6th December—to which I referred in my reply on 15th December to my hon. Friend—has already attracted interest in the Press, radio and television, and my advisers will continue to give it all necessary publicity. However, the publication of the names of affected holdings would be a departure from normal practice, and would carry disadvantages as well as advantages. We are seeking the views of representatives of growers about this before coming to a decision.—[Vol. 922, c.706.]

While naturally I regret the loss caused to growers whose plants have to be destroyed because of the disease, the risk of infection by pests and diseases is one of the natural hazards facing any grower, and in the long term eradication campaigns benefit growers both individually and collectively. Particularly at a time of severe restraint on public expenditure, the advantages of a general compensation scheme relating to white rust disease would need to be much clearer before we could support the new area of public expenditure which it would involve.

Intensive scientific investigations into and trials of various aspects of the biology and control of the disease are being carried out by the services concerned in my Department, particularly the Plant Pathology Laboratory and other parts of the Agricultural Development Aid Advisory Service. Those concerned maintain close contact with scientists in those countries where the disease is endemic, and where a great deal of research has been undertaken. It is by no means clear that an independent research programme here would add significantly to our knowledge, and to initiate such a programme would mean the diversion of resources, both of scientific manpower and of money, from other research projects. I do not think that the case has yet been made out for doing so.

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