asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has to report in the research into hypomagnesia anaemia, its cause and cure, particularly in relation to beef breeds of cattle.

The basic cause is an insufficiency of available magnesium. Research is still going on. Risks vary from farm to farm but enough is known to allow the application of preventive and curative methods.

Can the hon. Gentleman state the number of deaths among beef cattle in any one year—last year, for instance? May we have an assurance that research will be pressed on with the highest priority?

I cannot give the hon. Gentleman these figures offhand. I will try to secure them and send them to him. My farm in Scotland has suffered from this disease, so the hon. Gentleman can take it that I will see that research is carried on.