Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what specific grounds they have refused to accept the advice of the Nature Conservancy Council, commenting on the Dunnet Report, that the known facts and the evidence do not justify the continuation of a badger control programme and that all killing of badgers to control bovine tuberculosis should stop forthwith; and
What scientific advice the Home Office sought before turning down the advice of the Nature Conservancy Council about badger control, and on what grounds they consider it superior to that of the NCC, who are their official advisers.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)The views of the Nature Conservancy Council on badger control were well known to the Dunnet Committee, which took them fully into account. The council's advice, commenting on the report, simply reiterated those views. It does not, therefore, constitute a basis for reappraising the Government's acceptance of the Dunnet Committee's recommendations. Before delivering those recommendations the Dunnet Committee had taken advice from a wide range of veterinary, farming, conservation and scientific interests as indicated in its report.
Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will confirm that in spite of the gassing and trapping of thousands of badgers there is no evidence that the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle has been reduced or of any transference in the field of the disease between badgers and cattle.
§ Lord BelsteadThese matters were thoroughly examined by the Dunnet Committee, which considered that infectious badgers are potential sources of infection to cattle and concluded that the cessation of badger controls could not be recommended.
Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they can confirm that the gassing control of badgers now abandoned, and the present trapping policy which involves killing females when their cubs may still be dependent of them are not both infringements of Section 2 of the Badgers Act 1973, which makes their "cruel ill-treatment" illegal.
§ Lord BelsteadParliament specifically authorised the use of gassing as the main means of badger control under the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1985. Under the present trapping policy, all lactating females are in fact released.
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Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will adopt a close season on badger control during the period when cubs are dependent on their mothers, including a reasonable period after lactation has ceased, while they reconsider the advice of the Nature Conservancy Council to discontinue badger control.
§ Lord BelsteadGiven that the Dunnet Committee was fully appraised of the views of the Nature Conservancy Council, we see no need to adopt this suggestion.