HC Deb 23 October 2002 vol 391 c312W
Mr. Gray

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the badger population is growing faster in certain regions of the UK. [75080]

Mr. Morley

There are likely to be in the region of 300,000 to 400,000 badgers in Great Britain. This figure is derived from the National Badger Survey which took place in the mid-1990's.

The Department has let a research contract to design and pilot a multi-species terrestrial mammal monitoring project. This is due to conclude in November 2003, and should assist in improving the data available.