§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the destruction of a herd of fallow deer at Charlcote Park under tuberculosis regulations. [160672]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 9 May 2001]: Though both the red and fallow deer herds at Charlcote Park have been under movement restrictions because of suspect TB since 302W 1989 at no time has MAFF required the National Trust to cull out either herd. MAFF understand that in early April 2001 the National Trust culled the red deer herd. Any decision to cull the fallow deer herd at Charlcote will be a management decision of the National Trust.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what impact the foot and mouth outbreak has had on(a) regular tuberculosis testing of cattle, (b) the culling of badgers for the triplet studies of TB and (c) the validity of the triplet studies of TB. [160671]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 9 May 2001]: Almost all routine testing for TB in cattle has been put on hold, with State Veterinary Service (SVS) resources diverted to deal with the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. Some reactor cattle disclosed by testing carried out before the imposition of FMD movement restrictions are still being held on farms. Decisions on re-tests on inconclusive reactors and Short Interval Tests (SITs) are being made on a case-by-case basis according to the FMD situation in different Divisions of the SVS.
The badger culling field trial has been put on hold. The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB has advised MAFF officials that this should not affect the scientific validity of the trial. The Group is developing advice to MAFF on a strategy for the resumption of trial operations after the conclusion of the foot and mouth disease outbreak.