§ Mr. FlookTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle were slaughtered because of bovine TB in each year since 1997 in(a) the Taunton Constituency, (b) Somerset, (c) North Devon Constituency and (d) Devon. [127777]
§ Mr. BradshawThe data requested is not available for the Parliamentary constituencies of Taunton or North Devon. However, the number of cattle slaughtered under bovine TB measures in Somerset and Devon, from 1997 to 2002, is given in the table below. As a result of county boundary changes in the past, the number of cattle slaughtered because of bovine TB in part of the county of Somerset is shown in TB statistics as being in "Avon". Therefore, the data for "Avon" is also included.
Number of cattle slaughtered under bovine TB control measures 1997–2002
1Year Somerset Avon Devon 1997 191 75 493 1998 264 276 550 1999 339 145 870 2000 644 275 1,291 2001 125 125 621 2002 881 769 3,009 1 In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak. Since testing resumed in 2002, resources have been concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high risk herds being tested post-FMD is greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result, the number of TB reactors identified and slaughtered in 2002 is not comparable to those identified and slaughtered in previous years.