Bovine TB (Hansard, 1 May 2003)

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the prevalence of bovine TB in Buckinghamshire. [110450]

§ Mr. Morley
The prevalence of bovine TB in Buckinghamshire is relatively low.
Of the 862 herds registered in Buckinghamshire, and the area covered by the Milton Keynes Unitary Authority, only one herd is under bovine TB movement restrictions.

§ Mr. Luff
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the prevalence of bovine TB in Worcestershire. [109100]

§ Mr. Morley
Of the 1,266 herds registered in Worcestershire, 73 (or 5.8 per cent. of herds) are currently under TB restrictions.
Last year there were 93 new TB incidents in the county, 55 of which were confirmed and 29 unconfirmed, and nine with laboratory results outstanding. Provisional figures for 2003 show there have been four new herd breakdowns in January and seven in February all of which were confirmed.
The State Veterinary Service has worked hard over the last year to reduce the number of overdue TB herd tests. At the end of February there were 782 TB tests overdue in Worcester region.