§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many badgers were slaughtered in response to tuberculosis outbreaks in cattle in Cornwall in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mrs. FennerNo realistic estimates can be made of the number of badgers slaughtered when gassing was the main method of badger control as the setts were sealed after gassing. Since the introduction of live trapping from July 1982 the numbers of badgers taken in official investigation in Cornwall are:
Numbers 1982 (July to December) 73 1983 167 1984 (January to August) 130
§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence there is that the bovine tuberculosis emergency control programme is reducing the number of tuberculosis outbreaks.
§ Mrs. FennerIt is difficult to find an objective measure in field conditions because of the sporadic nature of the disease at current low levels and hence the impossibility of knowing how the disease would have progressed in the absence of badger control measures. However, in two extensive areas in Avon and south 857W Dorset, which have been studied in depth, where outbreaks of tuberculosis in cattle has been attributed to badgers and infection had been confirmed in badgers, the badgers were eliminated and repopulation was prevented for several years. Since the removal of the badger populations the cattle herds have remained completely free from infection. Details of these studies have been published in appropriate scientific journals.