§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the progress on the development of a live test for tuberculosis in badgers, including the location of such trials and the implications for his Department's badger control strategy.
§ Mr. GummerField trials of the live diagnostic test started in March of this year, in conjunction with routine badger investigations in parts of Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire; 134 badgers have been examined to date.
290WTrials are expected to continue for some months to come. It is too early, at this stage, to say how the live test will be used within a revised badger control strategy. I intend to take the views of the consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis into full consideration before introducing any revision of the present strategy.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of the badger control strategy as part of the tuberculosis eradication scheme in 1990; what are his estimates for the current year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerFor the cost of the badger control strategy in 1990, I refer the hon. Member my answer to the hon. Member for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes) on 17 October 1991. The estimate of expenditure for 1991 is £461,000.