§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on TB control in Somerset. [115414]
§ Mr. MorleyTB control in Somerset is carried out in accordance with national policy.
The latest available data show there are 3,459 cattle herds registered in the county. Of these, 182 herds (5.3 per cent.) have been under TB restrictions at some point in the period 1 January to 31 March 2003. Up to the end of March there had been 63 new TB incidents (22 confirmed, 26 unconfirmed and 15 with laboratory results outstanding).
The State Veterinary Service has worked very hard over the last 18 months to reduce the number of overdue TB herd tests. By the end of March the number of herd tests overdue in Somerset had been reduced to 222.