Badgers (Hansard, 3 November 1989)

§ Mr. Ron Davies
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the release of lactating sow badgers trapped as part of his Department's tuberculosis control scheme; and whether he authorises any exceptions to this policy.

§ Mr. Curry
Lactating sow badgers trapped during official badger removal operations are released.
All possible precautions are taken to avoid taking them by mistake and, as such, where doubt exists, they are released.

§ Mr. Ron Davies
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions during the last 12 months operatives from or on behalf of his Department have used snares for the purpose of catching badgers under the tuberculosis control scheme.

§ Mr. Curry
Since 1 November 1988 snares have been employed in eight badger investigations. Snares are used as a last resort, under careful supervision, when it is either not possible to use traps or when traps have proved ineffective.

§ Mr. Ron Davies
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has revised his guidelines on the trapping of badgers under tuberculosis control release; 395W whether any trapping is authorised other than on farms where tuberculosis has recently been confirmed; and what definition is used for these purposes of the word "recently."

§ Mr. Curry
Revised procedures, allowing a single trapping period of four months rather than a three-month period with follow-up trapping, have been introduced. There have been no other changes in the guidelines for trapping procedures, which are based upon the recommendations of the Dunnet report published in 1986. No trapping is carried out beyond those breakdown farms where badgers have been implicated in the transmission of

Cereal area and yield 1985–1989

Area ('000 ha.) Yield (tonnes/ha.)

1985 1986 1987 1988 ¹1989

Area Yield Area Yield Area Yield Area Yield Area Yield

Wheat 1,902 6.33 1,997 6.96 1,994 5.99 1,886 6.23 2,106 6.55

Barley 1,966 4.95 1,917 5.22 1,831 5.04 1,878 4.67 1,662 4.81

Oats 134 4.59 97 5.16 99 4.57 120 4.50 121 4.55

Rye 8 4.64 7 4.72 7 4.76 7 4.57 7 4.12

Mixed Corn 7 4.27 7 4.31 6 4.50 5 4.19 5 4.14

¹ provisional.

Cereal area and yield 1985–1989
Area ('000 ha.) Yield (tonnes/ha.)
	1985	1986	1987	1988	¹1989
	Area	Yield	Area	Yield	Area	Yield	Area	Yield	Area	Yield
Wheat	1,902	6.33	1,997	6.96	1,994	5.99	1,886	6.23	2,106	6.55
Barley	1,966	4.95	1,917	5.22	1,831	5.04	1,878	4.67	1,662	4.81
Oats	134	4.59	97	5.16	99	4.57	120	4.50	121	4.55
Rye	8	4.64	7	4.72	7	4.76	7	4.57	7	4.12
Mixed Corn	7	4.27	7	4.31	6	4.50	5	4.19	5	4.14
¹ provisional.