§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason Dundrennan Range was selected as the base range for anti-rabies tests; what statutory agencies were consulted over the testing; what plans there are for further such testing; and if he will make a statement on anti-rabies testing at Dundrennan Range. [88643]
§ Mr. MorleyI have been asked to reply.
The trial was authorised by Defra Ministers and the Central Science Laboratory obtained licences from the Home Office for working with foxes; from the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) for the use of the experimental poison (T3327) and from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to use means to reduce the risks to resident badgers on the study area. With agreement of MOD, the trial took place at a military training site with very restricted access to the public in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Local residents with access rights to the site, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), were informed of the trial, which was carried out between 27 August and 15 September 2002. The poison baits were laid on 4 September and picked up on 7 September. The trial was successful in obtaining data required and there are no plans to repeat such a trial.