HC Deb 13 December 1993 vol 234 cc501-3W
Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will show the number of badgers shot and gassed in each of the last three years in each county in the south-west region; and how many of these badgers were subsequently shown to have tuberculosis.

Mr. Soames

The numbers of badgers shot in the year to date and in the previous three years in each county in the south-west of England, and the numbers of badgers that were subsequently shown to be positive for tuberculosis—M. bovis—are as follows. Gassing has not been used as a means of controlling badgers since 1982.

1990
Number shot Number positive for M.bovis
Avon 55 13
Cornwall 385 63
Devon 188 45
Dorset 7 2
Gloucester 109 27
Somerset 17 —
Wiltshire 3 —
TOTALS 764 150
19.6 per cent.
1991
Number shot Number positive for M.bovis
Avon 55 17
Cornwall 422 75
Devon 159 20
Dorset 49 2
Gloucester 75 12
Somerset — —
Wiltshire 178 34
TOTALS 938 160
17 per cent.
1992
Number shot Number positive for M.bovis
Avon 159 38
Cornwall 470 68
Devon 162 35
Dorset — —
Gloucester 96 38
Somerset — —
Wiltshire 141 30
TOTALS 1,028 209
20.3 per cent.
19931
Number shot Number positive for M.bovis Number of results awaited
Avon 118 24 3
Cornwall 330 63 22
Devon 119 33 29
Dorset 49 8 —
Number shot Number positive for M.bovis Number of results awaited
Gloucester 119 31 25
Somerset 125 48 5
Wiltshire 125 28 39
TOTALS 985 235 123
23.8 per cent.
1 1January to 6 December 1993.