§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she is taking on the preliminary results of the trials being conducted on tuberculosis in cattle; and if she will make a statement. [39267]
§ Mr. MorleyOn the basis of advice from the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB, results from the badger field trial, which is part of the Government's wide ranging strategy to tackle TB in cattle, are expected by the end of 2004. The Government liaise closely with the group and any preliminary findings that may emerge in the interim will be considered in the light of advice from the group.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on recent changes in the rate of tuberculosis in cattle in(a) Gloucestershire and (b) the UK. [39270]
§ Mr. MorleyTB in cattle is continuing to give considerable concern particularly in counties such as Gloucestershire which has persistently had a higher incidence of the disease than most other areas of the country. Incidence of bovine TB is increasing in England and Wales, and the Government have in place an extensive research programme "so that control strategies can be developed on the basis of sound science, and on the basis of advice from independent scientific and veterinary experts.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herds have been tested for tuberculosis and how many were found positive in(a) Gloucestershire and (b) England in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [39266]
§ Mr. MorleyProvisional data indicate that in the 12 months to December 2001 8,211 tuberculin tests on cattle herds were undertaken in England of which 523 were in Gloucestershire. From these tests a total of 337 new confirmed bovine tuberculosis incidents were recorded for England of which 35 were in Gloucestershire.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herds are under restriction through tuberculosis(a) in England and (b) in Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement. [39265]
§ Mr. MorleyProvisional data as at 31 January 2002 indicate that there were 767 herds under movement restrictions in England as a result of tuberculosis breakdown, of which 113 were in Gloucestershire. On the same data and on the basis of veterinary risk assessment further control measures were introduced, resulting in an additional 631 herds being placed under restriction in England of which 120 were in Gloucestershire.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what investigations she has made of the experience in the Republic of Ireland of tuberculosis in cattle; and if she will make a statement. [39268]
1511W
§ Mr. MorleyIn implementing its wide ranging research and control strategy the Department is advised by the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB. It also has a TB animal vaccine programme adviser. The group, the Vaccine Programme adviser and Departmental officials visited Ireland last autumn to investigate the work being undertaken in that country.