Lord CHELWOODasked Her Majesty's Government:
What advice they have received from their Consultative Panel on Badgers and Tuberculosis; and whether this convinces them that the badger is definitely responsible for outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis and that the incidence of this disease is likely to be reduced by killing badgers.
§ Lord STRABOLGIThe Consultative Panel on Badgers and Tuberculosis has made a valuable contribution to the formulation of Government policy in this area. The evidence on which that policy is based was published, with the Panel's agreement, on 3rd December last in a report entitledBovine Tuberculosis in Badgers. It is too early to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of the methods that are being used to combat the disease but first indications are favourable.
Lord CHELWOODasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many badger setts thought to contain carriers of bovine tuberculosis have been gassed under licence during the last 18 months; whether all such operations have been carried out in areas known to be affected by bovine tuberculosis; how many licences for this purpose have been issued to officials of the MAFF; how many badgers have been killed, and how many were found to be infected.
§ Lord STRABOLGIA total of 2,459 setts has been gassed under licence during the last 18 months. All were in areas where bovine tuberculosis had been a problem in cattle herds and the disease identified in badgers. Licences for this purpose last for only 12 months; 158 have 1553WA been issued to Ministry staff and 58 are currently in force. Given the nature of the operations, it is not possible to assess the number of badgers killed nor the proportion infected.