§ Mr. Newensasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress achieved over recent months in fighting chrysanthemum white rust disease; and if he will 333W provide figures to show the trend in the number of outbreaks notified.
§ Mr. StrangOver 200 nurseries are known to have had the disease at some time last year. Reports of outbreaks declined in December and, after a natural break in chrysanthemum production in January, only two nurseries were recorded in February as affected. Since then fresh symptoms have been discovered on four nurseries. Two of these are the only places now known to be affected.