asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current trend in the incidence of anthrax and the measures being taken to counter this disease.

There has been an increase recently in the number of cases of anthrax in livestock. During the last month, 18 cases have occurred in Salop, nine in Hereford and Worcester and 11 in fairly widely scattered locations. Some of the 11 may be connected with those in the main area involved. Information so far points to an imported vegetable feed ingredient. Feed compounders are co-operating with the Ministry and local authorities in attempting to trace and identify affected feeds. Wherever anthrax is diagnosed, affected carcases are destroyed by burning or buried under the supervision of the local authority diseases of animals inspectors, and the parts of the premises involved are throughly disinfected.