§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the studies of badger control and tuberculosis will begin in the six areas which he has already announced; when he will announce the remaining 24 areas to reach the minimum number proposed by Professor Krebs; and when those studies will begin. [60234]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 17 November 1998]: Surveying in the Devon/Cornwall triplet (group of three areas) has been completed. Within the triplet, the Putford area has been randomly allocated the proactive culling treatment, Hartland the reactive culling treatment and Bude the survey only treatment. Ministry staff started placing traps in the Putford area on 16 November. Once in place, the traps will be pre-baited for a period before trapping begins.
Surveying is continuing in the Gloucestershire/ Herefordshire triplet.
Other triplets will be selected, on the basis of the latest information on the pattern of TB incidents, as resources become available to start work. I expect the next two triplets to be identified within the next few months.