§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement about bovine tuberculosis in Gloucestershire.
§ Mr. StrangDuring the first nine months of this year bovine tuberculosis was found in 17 cattle herds. During the208W same period 301 badger carcases were examined and 34—11.3 per cent.—were found to be infected with the disease.
A large part of Gloucestershire was included in one of the control areas declared by the Badgers (Control Areas) 1977 Order, which came into operation on 22nd November. This provides gassing teams with right of entry and greater operational flexibility on land covered by the order.
In the Thornbury experimental area the clearance of badgers has been almost completed, and this area will be kept free of badgers for a period before healthy badgers are allowed to recolonise it. Cattle herds in the area will also continue to be monitored for freedom from the disease. No evidence of bovine tuberculosis has been discovered in any other species of wild life in the county.
§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which counties in England and Wales are suffering from outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis.
§ Mr. StrangThe following table lists the counties of England and Wales in which cattle were found to be affected by bovine tuberculosis during the first nine months of 1977:
Outbreaks of Bovine Tuberculosis 1st January to 30th September 1977 County Affected Herds Avon 11 Cornwall 19 Devon 14 Gloucester 17 Somerset 2 Wiltshire 5 Cheshire 2 Derby 1 East Sussex 4 Hereford and Worcester 4 Kent 1 Northumberland 4 Dyfed 4 Powys 3 Total 91