asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will pay to farmers, whose herds have been slaughtered owing to foot-and-mouth disease, compensation to cover consequential losses incurred by them, before their farms can be re-stocked.

No, Sir. The Diseases of Animals Acts provide that compensation payable on slaughter shall, in the case of an animal affected with foot-and-mouth disease, be its value immediately before it became so affected and, in all other cases, be its value immediately before slaughter.

Is the Minister aware that the fanners affected till have many current expenses to meet, such as wages bills, that they cease to receive the milk on which they largely rely to meet their expenses, and that as a result considerable hardship is caused?