§ Lord Rotherwickasked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs's Wildlife Unit collect badger and deer carcasses from the roadside for tuberculosis testing in all regions of the United Kingdom; and, if not, in which regions removal of such wildlife carcasses is the responsibility of the highways agencies alone. [HL3392]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty):In Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Dorset, Defra's Wildlife Unit will collect any badger carcases from the roadside deemed suitable for TB testing. Defra is also undertaking a survey of badger carcases (and deer with suspect lesions) in the Furness peninsula, Cumbria.
Outside these counties, the local authority is responsible (or, in the case of motorways, the appropriate highways agency).
§ Lord Rotherwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
What guidance they give for the treatment of wildlife carcasses collected by highways agencies. [HL3394]
§ Lord Whitty:The carcases, or parts of carcases, of wild animals are exempt from the scope of the Animal By-Products Regulation unless they are thought to be diseased or are used to produce game trophies. Although the regulation places them under no legal obligation, owners of property on which there are dead wild animals are advised to contact their local authority for advice on appropriate disposal methods.
However, in some parts of the country, (these are the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire), badger carcases may be collected for examination for TB as part of a limited road traffic accident (RTA) survey of badger carcases. Road accident badger carcases in Cornwall, Devon or Dorset should be reported to Defra on freephone 0800 389 7395 and those in Gloucester, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire reported on freephone 0800 389 7423.