§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received on the reason for the change in the number of positive tuberculosis tests for cattle in the last five years. [31736]
§ Mrs. BrowningThere has been an increased incidence of disease and approximately 90 per cent. of the cattle tuberculosis herd breakdowns in the south-west of England are attributed to infection by badgers after detailed epidemiological investigations. The Department is already carrying out research into ways of avoiding transmission of disease from badgers to cattle and is co-operating with university departments on studies on the effects of badger removal operations on the badger population and their impact on the subsequent spread of disease within the badger population.