§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will introduce a compulsory slaughter and compensation scheme for deer with tuberculosis;
300W(2) what is his Department's definition of (a) farmed deer, (b) parkland deer, and (c) wild deer;
(3) what is his estimate of the extent of bovine tuberculosis in deer in the United Kingdom;
(4) what steps his Ministry is taking to combat tuberculosis in deer.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonLegislation has been introduced making tuberculosis in deer notifiable, together with marking and movement record requirements. A slaughter with compensation scheme is being urgently considered, as is the introduction of a voluntary health scheme based on herd testing. A blood test has been developed to support the intradermal tuberculin test and surveys are being conducted to assess the extent of tuberculosis in wild deer. Since 1971 only eight wild deer have been found to be infected. A total of eight deer herds are known to be infected and this compares to some 250 farmed deer herds in this country. Article 13(4)(b) of the Tuberculosis (Deer) Order 1989 defines farmed deer; parkland deer and wild deer are not similarly defined.