§ Mr. JoplingTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle were slaughtered and destroyed by incineration on their farms during each week of the last foot and mouth disease outbreak in 1967–68. [30023]
§ Mrs. BrowningThis information cannot be supplied in the form requested without incurring disproportionate costs. However, I can confirm that 211,825 cattle were slaughtered during the eight months of the 1967–68 foot and mouth disease epidemic. The normal practice in such cases is for the carcases to be buried or incinerated on farm to minimise the possibility of spreading the virus.