§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on badger culling. [21095]
§ Mrs. BrowningIn those areas in the south-west of England and parts of Wales where there is a recent history of badger-related herd breakdowns in cattle, badger removal operations may proceed on breakdown farms on the judgment of Ministry staff, providing detailed epidemiological investigations have attributed the source of infection for that breakdown to badgers. Where detailed epidemiological investigations indicate that badgers are implicated in a herd breakdown but where there is not recent history of badger-related tuberculosis, it is a requirement that a badger removal operation must first be sanctioned by a sub-committee of the consultative panel on badgers and bovine tuberculosis. This sub-committee includes farming, veterinary and conservation 747W representatives and ensures that the decisions made and action taken are subject to independent scrutiny.
Of those breakdowns which meet the criteria for the trial of the live test, announced in December 1993 and started in November last year, half will be subject to a live test, which will be undertaken on the breakdown farm and surrounding area so that only badgers from setts containing infected badgers will be culled. On the other half, a badger removal operation will be undertaken following the criteria laid down in the independent report of Ministers by Professor Dunnet in 1986. The trial will run for five years, with the objective of comparing the effect on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle of the strategy recommended by Professor Dunnet of the live test strategy and of the removing no badgers if the breakdown farmer refuses a badger removal operation.
In all situations where breakdowns do not meet the criteria for the trial, the farmer will be offered a badger removal operation in accordance with the Dunnett criteria—the "interim strategy". This means that action against badgers is confined to that part of the breakdown farm where it is believed tuberculosis was transmitted to cattle, or to the whole farm if it is not possible to be more precise.
It is estimated that fewer than 3,000 badgers will be humanely killed in Ministry badger removal operations in 1995. This in no way represents a threat to the species, whose Great Britain population is estimated at about 250,000 adult badgers.
Mr. MorelyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences have been granted for interference with badger setts in each year since 1991 for the purpose of hunting; and which purpose this comes under in section 10 of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. [21109]
§ Mrs. BrowningNone. There are no specific provisions under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 for the granting of licences to interfere with badger setts for the purpose of hunting.