§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, since pig disease is spread by poor hygiene and husbandry off-farm, he will introduce new measures to improve standards.
§ Mrs. FennerDetailed statutory requirements governing the movement and sale of pigs and the feeding of swill are already applied on a continuing basis. In addition, the Ministry provides pig farmers and animal hauliers with written advice on disease prevention. Swill feeding continues to present a very considerable disease risk and my Department is considering whether the already stringent requirements could be tightened up still further.
Whatever action is taken by the Government, the maintenance and improvement of hygiene and husbandry standards must, of course, depend critically on the willingness of the industry to take the essential precautions.