§ Lord Houghton of Sowerbyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are now taking stock of present measures to control bovine tuberculosis after pursuing a policy of slaughter of both cattle and badgers and whether any less crude and more scientific method of control than killing the patients is in prospect.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)My right honourable friend announced on 20th September that a review of the Government's policy on badgers and bovine tuberculosis was to be undertaken. The review team, chaired by Professor G. M. Dunnet, has been given the following terms of reference
To conduct an overall review of the problem of dealing with badgers infected with bovine tuberculosis in so far as it affects the eradication of the disease in cattle, taking into account changes in the field and research work since Lord Zuckerman reported on the problem in 1980".The review team's findings will be made public.
§ Lord Houghton of Sowerbyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What has been the outcome of the investigation 607WA into the discovery of cases of bovine tuberculosis near Eastbourne; how many badgers have been destroyed; whether this is an isolated outbreak in Sussex; and what is the present position regarding trapping and destruction of badgers in this area.
§ Lord BelsteadForty-eight badgers, including one road traffic casualty, were taken during the control operation near Eastbourne earlier this year. Of these, 11 badgers (23 per cent.) were found to be infected with bovine tuberculosis atpost mortem. The Government are considering what further steps to take in order to remove this focus of infection. There has been no confirmed incident of bovine tuberculosis in cattle elsewhere in Sussex since 1980.
§ Lord Houghton of Sowerbyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the extent of present activity to control bovine tuberculosis through the systematic killing of badgers in particular areas; whether gassing has completely stopped; in what areas badgers are presently being exterminated; and what is the number of badgers killed so far by trapping for testing and destruction.
§ Lord BelsteadAs my right honourable friend's predecessor made clear in his statement to the Consultative Panel on Badgers and Tuberculosis on 1st July 1982, all gassing operations ceased with effect from 26th June 1982. Badger control operations are currently being undertaken in a number of areas in the South-West, one area of Sussex, two areas in Wales and a very small area in Staffordshire. A total of 2,494 badgers have been trapped in official operations between mid-1982 and the end of August this year. Of these, 276 (11.1 per cent.) have been found to be infected with bovine tuberculosis. Over a similar period (1st January 1982–31st August 1984) 4,208 badgers killed in road traffic accidents or reported dead by members of the public have been examined by my department. Only 70 of these (1.7 per cent.) were found to be infected with the disease.