Parliamentary Questions

12 Feb 2004: Column 1559W

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what specific characteristics are exhibited by badger groups under population stress; [153964]

(2) what the effects of over-population are on the health of badger populations. [153965]

Mr. Bradshaw: Central Science Laboratory studies suggest that body weight in badgers is density dependent, with lower average weights occurring as group size approaches carrying capacity. The association between body weight and badger density suggests that food is a major factor limiting badger numbers.

The notion that badger populations are “over-populated” is erroneous. Badgers display a sophisticated regulatory mechanism, where fecundity and mortality are in equilibrium to maintain the population at a level which the habitat will support.

There is no information linking the health status of badgers to population density. TB is known to occur in low density badger populations, and studies by Central Science Laboratory have demonstrated that there is no linear relationship between badger density and TB prevalence.

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Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether domestic cats are susceptible to infection by M. bovis bacillus; whether any such infections have been recorded; and whether the infection can be transferred to man. [153919]

Mr. Bradshaw: Like most terrestrial mammals, domestic cats are susceptible to infection by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). Cases have been recorded in Great Britain and other countries but current incidence is very sporadic. TB in cats is not notifiable although it is good practice to contact the State Veterinary Service (SVS) if it is suspected. The SVS will undertake to assist with the identification of M. bovis in any clinical or pathological specimens.

The infection can be transferred to man, therefore, if a confirmed case of M. bovis infection in a cat comes to the attention of the SVS, the Divisional Veterinary Manager will inform the Consultant in Communicable Disease Control (CCDC) of the local health authority. Investigation of the TB status of any human contacts is the responsibility of the CCDC. If TB is reported in a farm cat the SVS will instigate tuberculin check tests of cattle on that farm, and of potential contacts on neighbouring premises.

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Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are taken by her Department to ensure that guidelines on testing badgers for M. bovis infection before release by animal hospitals are properly observed. [153923]

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Mr. Bradshaw: Animal hospitals treating sick or injured badgers are not legally required to test animals for bovine tuberculosis before they are released from captivity.

To minimise the risk of animal hospitals accidentally spreading tuberculosis Defra facilitated development of the voluntary protocol for the rehabilitation and release of badgers. This was drawn up by the RSPCA, National Federation of Badgers Groups and Secret World Wildlife Rescue. The protocol provides comprehensive guidance on the precautions necessary to protect the welfare of badgers and critically, to minimise the risk of transmitting bovine tuberculosis. The protocol is promoted by the organisations above and is available via the internet at: http://www.badger.org.uk/action/badger-rehabilitation-protocol-contents.html

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Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of whether infection of M. bovis bacillus between infectious female badgers and their offspring leads to an increase over time in the incidence of infection within a social group. [153924]

Mr. Bradshaw: From research carried out by the Central Science Laboratory, it is believed that the transmission of infection from mothers to cubs may be important in the maintenance of TB infection in badger populations. There is a correlation between the presence of infectious females in a group and the proportion of TB positive cubs. No information is available as to whether this has influenced the incidence of infection within a social group over time.

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Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of the accuracy of the size of the badger population in Great Britain as reported by the National Badger Survey; [153953]

(2) what estimate she has made of the minimum size of the badger population in the United Kingdom necessary to ensure its continued survival; [153958]

(3) what estimate she has made of the optimum size of the badger population in the United Kingdom; [153959]

(4) what estimate she has made of the maximum size of badger population which can be sustained in the United Kingdom; [153960]

(5) what estimate she has made of the change in the badger population in Great Britain since the last National Badger Survey. [153974]

Mr. Bradshaw: In a 19951 report reviewing the status of mammals in the United Kingdom, commissioned by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the badger population estimate provided by the 1980s National Badger Survey was given the highest possible rating for accuracy (one on a scale of one to five, where one is the most accurate). As the 1990s National Badger Survey 2 followed the same methodology as the earlier exercise, its results can be afforded a similar high level of confidence.

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I can confirm that the Department has not estimated of any of the following population parameters for badgers in the United Kingdom:

The minimum population size necessary to ensure its continued survival.
The optimum size of the population.
The maximum size of population that can be sustained.

In the report of the 1990s National Badger Survey2, the authors concluded that there was “substantial scope for further badger population expansions” as badger setts were still scarce or absent in many suitable areas (especially in East Anglia and parts of Scotland). However, the authors also said that “in areas with established badger populations, it was unlikely that further significant increases would occur”.

Since there has been no national badger survey since the mid-1990s, we do not know whether the population level has changed in the interim.

As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member's earlier question, 26 January 2004, Official Report, column 1W, my Department has been funding the Winter Mammal Monitoring Project3 which is being carried out by the Mammal Society and the British Trust for Ornithology. This is a pilot study intended to develop a terrestrial monitoring system for British mammals, including badgers. Early findings confirm the pattern of distribution reported in the National Badger Survey, but it is too early to say whether, and by how much, badger numbers have changed since the 1990s.

1 "A review of British mammals: population estimates and conservation status of British mammals other than cetaceans" (1995). Stephen Harris, Pat Morris, Stephanie Wray and Derek Yalden. Published by the Joint Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough, UK.

This publication is available online at: www.jncc.gov.uk/Publications/review britishmammals/areviewofbritishmammalsall. pdf

2 "Changes in the British badger population, 1988 to 1997" (1997). G. Wilson, S. Harris and G. McLaren. People's Trust for Endangered Species (ISBN 1 85580 018 7)

3 Further details and preliminary results from the Winter Mammal Monitoring Project are available online at: www.bto.org/survey/special/mammal results.htm

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Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the (a) proportion of adult badgers in Great Britain currently infected with M. bovis bacillus and (b) proportion of those that are infective. [153955]

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Mr. Bradshaw: National data, on which such assessments would need to be based, are not available.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what grounds legal protection has been afforded to badgers. [153962]

Mr. Bradshaw: The badger benefits from legal protection introduced to outlaw cruelty towards animals. For example, the Protection of Animals Act 1911, which among other things, made the baiting of animals illegal, and the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, which made certain specified acts of cruelty illegal.

In addition, there are legal restrictions on the range of methods that can be used to kill or take badgers. This protection was introduced to outlaw inhumane and/or indiscriminate methods of control. The key legislation in this respect is the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Some of these restrictions apply to all animals, while others apply only to animals, like the badger, listed on schedule 6 of the Act.

There have also been specific laws to protect badgers. These were introduced as a welfare measure to combat illegal badger baiting, and also as a conservation measure in response to declines in badger numbers in the 1970s and 1980s. The various statues specifically relating to badgers were consolidated under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.

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Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the limiting factors are on the size of the badger population in the United Kingdom in the absence of predation and intervention by man. [153963]

Mr. Bradshaw: The abundance of wild animals is ultimately limited by the availability of key resources. In the United Kingdom, food and suitable sites for setts are likely to be the key constraints on the size of the badger population.

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

(1) what the criteria are for designating an animal species in the United Kingdom as (a) an endangered and (b) a protected species; [153956]

(2) under what circumstances an animal previously categorised in the United Kingdom as endangered or protected is deregistered or otherwise removed from the list; and what conditions must be met for statutory protection to be removed; [153957]

Mr. Bradshaw: As previously mentioned in the answer given to the hon. Member on 26 January 2004, Official Report, column 1W, the animal species listed on schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are reviewed every five years. My previous answer details the criteria used for assessing whether species should be added to the schedule for the Fourth Quinquennial Review, which will be consulted upon in 2004. The Quinquennial Review criteria relate only to taxa that is endangered or is likely to become endangered.

Endangered species are also identified through inclusion in Red Data Books, where the threats to survival of species are assessed using internationally recognised criteria.

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Part of the Quinquennial Review process is also used to assess whether the species that have been protected by listing on schedule 5, still merit protection. The criteria used are the same as those given in my previous reply of January 26.