§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list by county the number of badgers shot and gassed in each year since 1988; and what percentage of those badgers were subsequently shown to have tuberculosis.
§ Mr. SoamesThe number of badgers shot in each year since 1988 in England, and the numbers of badgers that were subsequently shown to be positive for tuberculosis —M.bovis—are listed by county.
Gassing has not been used as an official means of controlling badgers since 1982.
County Number shot Number positive for M.bovis 1988 Avon 110 38 Cornwall 100 20 Devon 193 36 Dorset 77 15 Gloucestershire 242 102 Somerset 23 1 Wiltshire 6 — TOTAL 751 212 (28.2 per cent.) 1989 Avon 129 35 Cornwall 176 27 Devon 180 18 Dorset 13 4 Gloucestershire 206 37 Somerset — — Wiltshire 18 1 TOTAL 722 122 (16.9 per cent.)
County Number shot Number positive for M.bovis Number of results awaited 1993 Avon 123 24 6 Cornwall 360 67 38 Devon 127 37 13 Dorset 49 8 — Gloucestershire 161 38 43 Somerset 130 48 5 Wiltshire 131 50 6 TOTAL 1,081 272 (28 per cent.) 111