§ 24. Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's strategy for combating bovine TB. [81230]
§ Mr. MorleyBovine TB in cattle is one of the most difficult animal health problems being faced, and the increase in its incidence is continuing to give considerable concern. The Government are keen to 283W tackle the problem and have implemented a wide-ranging strategy at a cost of £35 to £40 million a year. Action is centred around a five-point strategy as follows:
- protecting human health;
- developing a TB vaccine;
- carrying out research into bovine TB;
- testing cattle for TB and putting controls in place; and
- the randomised badger culling field trial.
The strategy is kept under review by officials. Some elements of the overarching bovine TB strategy will not produce results in the immediate future, e.g. the badger culling trial and development of a TB vaccine. We are therefore exploring and, where appropriate, implementing interim measures to help control bovine TB, while taking account of the affects of disease control measures on farmers.
A package of measures was announced in early October. This introduced:
Defra is currently considering how to manage the risk from movement of animals onto herds affected by bovine TB. An announcement will be made shortly.
- the licensed movement off farm of non-reactor cattle in certain specified circumstances;
- the imposition of movement restrictions on herds with overdue tests;
- a pilot project to assess the effectiveness of the gamma interferon blood test in detecting bovine TB; and
- the establishment of an industry group to monitor progress in implementing the new measures.