§ Lord Greavesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their current policy to ensure the survival of Herdwicks and other fell breeds of sheep in the English Lake District. [HL86]
§ Lord WhittyWe have introduced a measure for hefted flocks such as Herdwicks and rare breeds of58WA sheep which may be exempted from contiguous culls. This is provided that they test negative for antibodies to foot and mouth disease and that the level of biosecurity for hefted sheep is judged sufficient to make the risk of transmission small. We have facilitated the movement of moorland sheep from winter grazing to summer grazing land. We have contributed to the establishment of the heritage gene bank to ensure the retention of genes of sheep breeds indigenous to the UK.