Parliamentary Questions

27 Jan 2004: Column 245W

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what liaison takes place between English Nature and her Department in relation to the potential disease status of badgers targeted for removal and relocation. [150580]

Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer on 6 January 2004, Official Report, column 249W, and on 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1186W.

The Department's Veterinary Endemic Diseases and Zoonoses Division (VEDZD) advise the badger licensing authorities in Defra's Rural Development Service and in English Nature, on potential bovine tuberculosis disease transmission risks associated with badger relocations. No licence is issued without first seeking advice from VEDZD.

27 Jan 2004: Column 246W

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the status is of (a) the Independent Science Group and (b) the TB Forum in relation to the control of TB; what requirement there is for her to (i) abide by and (ii) consider the advice of these organisations; and whether these organisations can veto proposals made by her Department. [150543]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB is an advisory NDPB. Its primary objective is to oversee the design and analysis of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial. Its complete Terms of Reference can be accessed on the Defra website.

The TB Forum aims to bring together experts and organisations with an interest in the Government's policy on bovine TB, to consider new measures which might be taken to control the disease in cattle.

Ministers consider carefully the advice of these bodies in formulating policy. However, there is no requirement for Ministers or the Department to abide by their advice, nor do these bodies have any formal power to veto departmental proposals.

27 Jan 2004: Column 246W

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report,

27 Jan 2004: Column 247W

column 217W, how many closed herds where disease prevention measures have been judged by her officials to be adequate have suffered TB breakdowns in the last 10 years. [150551]

Mr. Bradshaw: Defra does not keep a record of which herds are closed and definitions of a 'closed' herd vary. Defra keeps a record of cattle births and deaths, and their movements from known locations in England, Scotland and Wales. Were a 'closed' herd to be very strictly defined, it would be possible to identify closed herds from records of holdings that only register births and deaths, but have no animal movements on. However, this could be done only at disproportionate cost.

A survey of TB breakdowns (known as 'TB99') is under way and is designed to assess potential risk factors that may predispose herds to TB outbreaks.

27 Jan 2004: Column 247W

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 December, Official Report, columns 629–30W, on bovine TB, if she will take steps to compensate herd owners for uninsurable consequential losses arising from the TB infection, where there is clear evidence of no culpability. [150846]

Mr. Bradshaw: There are no plans to compensate farmers for consequential losses after a TB breakdown.

27 Jan 2004: Column 247W

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment

27 Jan 2004: Column 248W

has been made of the relationship between the size of the bumble bee population and the size of the badger population in England. [150942]

Mr. Bradshaw: Badgers are known to excavate and eat the nests of bumble bees and have the potential to exert an influence on the abundance of the bees locally.

The Department has not commissioned any studies to assess the relationship between the abundance of badgers and bumble bees, nor are we aware of any research specifically examining this topic.

27 Jan 2004: Column 254W

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the permitted methods are for killing (a) moles and (b) rabbits in their runs and burrows. [150574]

27 Jan 2004: Column 255W

Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is as follows.

(a) Moles

The permitted methods typically used to kill moles in their runs are:

Poisoning using worm baits impregnated with strychnine hydrochloride. This can only be used under a specific authority obtained from Defra.
Poisoning with an approved fumigant (aluminium phosphide)
Trapping. There are there are two main types in common use, the scissor (pincer) trap or metal half-barrel trap (Duffus).

Certain other methods are permitted (for example shooting and live capture traps), but these are not widely used in the UK. Further details and advice on the range of available options for managing mole problems are given in the Defra leaflet WM03 "Moles" which is available online at: www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/leaflets.htm.

Guidance on how to apply for permission to use strychnine hydrochloride for mole control is available online at: www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/mole.htm.

(b) Rabbits

The permitted methods typically used for killing rabbits in their burrows are:

Poisoning with an approved fumigant (aluminium phosphide or hydrogen cyanide)
Trapping. Traps currently approved by the Spring Traps Approval Order 1995 are the Imbra Trap Mark I and Mark II, Juby Trap, Fenn Rabbit Trap Mark I, Fenn Vermin Trap Mark VI (Multi Purpose), Springer Mark VI (Dual Purpose), Victor Conibear 120–2 and the BMI Magnum 116.

Further details and advice on the range of available options for managing rabbit problems are given in the following Defra leaflets WM01, WM16 and WM17 and in Forestry Commission leaflet FCPN002, which are available online at:

www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/leaflets.htm.

A full list of approved traps and the relevant conditions of use can be found online at: www.defra. gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/approved-traps. htm