HL Deb 21 October 1986 vol 481 c261WA
Lord Chelwood

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Approximately how many badgers are thought to have been killed under the control programme, and whether they will now discontinue this, since there is no proof that badgers transfer bovine tuberculosis to cattle.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)

No realistic estimate can he made of the number of badgers killed when gassing was the main method of badger control as the setts were sealed after gassing. However, from the introduction of live trapping in July 1982 to date some 4,900 badgers have been taken in official investigations. There is strong evidence that badgers do transfer bovine tuberculosis to cattle. We have therefore accepted the Dunnet Committee's recommendation that the Government's badger control policy should he maintained but that control operations should be limited to the breakdown farm. As a matter of course, the current strategy of badger control will he kept under review.