§ Mr. Hillasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy in relation to the extermination of badgers in the South-West.
§ Mrs. FennerIt is totally untrue that the Minister's policy is to exterminate badgers in the South-West or anywhere else in Britain. The Ministry has a responsibility to eradicate tuberculosis from cattle and our concern with badgers arises solely because of the established scientific link between tuberculosis in cattle and tuberculosis in badgers. It is only in cases where thorough investigation reveals that there has been a clear threat to cattle from tuberculosis infection in badgers that we undertake a badger control operation. The extent of such operations since 1975 has been limited and in the Ministry's South-West region has been confined to less than 4 per cent. of the land area.