Conservations want to 'save' all badgers - even Tb infected ones. Farmers want to kill all badgers. Eradicate, eliminate,exterminate.
Neither is true, but a beneficial crisis employing many industries has evolved around keeping the myth alive.
At a recent 'consultation' meeting on Defra's "new Tb strategy' a roar of disapproval went up from vets and farmers present when the 'E' word was mentioned. They wanted to 'Eradicate' Tb they said, NOT badgers, which were a valued part of the ecology.
Wildlife Trust members at the meeting had no problem at all with a management strategy which involved euthanasing infected groups of badgers, highlighted by 'sentinel' Tb testing of cattle.
The report on the meeting failed to mention either point.
Trustee of Somerset wildlife Trust Dr. Willie Stanton produced a paper in 1999, arguing for management policy to be introduced for badgers, in the interest of the wider ecology. He sites their 'extermination' of innoffensive residents of our countryside, hedgehogs, toads, bumble bees, slow worms and many species of ground nesting birds including skylark, lapwing, curlew and partridge. Dr. Stanton proposed no more than 1 main badger sett per 1 sq. km. and non at all within 750m of either senstive wildlife habitats or human housing.
So if farmers want a healthy, vibrant badger population, and conservationists appear to want the same - where is the conflict? Why the use of that emotive 'E' word? It polarises opinions - and that division now supports a £74 million industry, with a predicted growth rate of 20 percent p.a.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
TB or not TB?
Six, five, four and even three months ago Defra were predicting a 20 percent year on year increase in bovine TB. But last week, that figure was amended to a drop of 14 percent during the first 4 months of 2004.
Down by a third on predictions? Are Defra really in control of the situation - or just the statistics?
After FMD in 2001 and little testing of cattle, then a big backlog of catching up in 2002/2003, the last data which Defra do NOT warn against using for comparisons is 2000. And using Defra's own website figures, compared with that year, cattle slaughterings for Tb increased by a staggering 149 percent - or 25 percent per year.
Down by a third on predictions? Are Defra really in control of the situation - or just the statistics?
After FMD in 2001 and little testing of cattle, then a big backlog of catching up in 2002/2003, the last data which Defra do NOT warn against using for comparisons is 2000. And using Defra's own website figures, compared with that year, cattle slaughterings for Tb increased by a staggering 149 percent - or 25 percent per year.
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Government accused of hiding rise in bovine TB
By Sarah Probert, Birmngham Post
Countryside campaigners have accused the Government of inefficiency and neglect for failing to highlight the growing problem of bovine TB in the West Midlands.
The Country, Land and Business Association said the failure of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to publish figures on the extent of TB in each county could be an attempt to play down the extent of the problem.
The organisation said Defra had failed to update its county figures for two years and the only indication that the disease was escalating was the number of farmers reporting the problem to the CLA.
The Government publishes monthly national figures on bovine TB as well as statistics for the West region, which takes in the West Midlands counties, Devon and Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
No individual figures for Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Staffordshire - where the disease is most prolific in the region - have been available for two years.
A spokesman for Defra denied it had been hiding the figures and insisted updated numbers on TB cases for each county would be published shortly. He said the procedures for calculating TB cases was difficult and took time to collate.
The CLA voiced its concerns as a consultation on dealing with TB closed earlier this month.
Frances Beatty, regional director of the CLA, said: "In the West Midlands the disease has become a major problem - particularly in the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire - and continues to spread unabated across our members' dairy herds.
"The acceleration in the number of cases over the last two years is borne out by the number of farmers reporting incidents and an increase in the national figures.
"But this increase is hard to corroborate since the figures for the number of incidents per county have not been released by Defra for the last two years. This at very least shows inefficiency and neglect. Or could it be an attempt to play down the figures and hence the extent of the problem?"
She added: "One of our greatest concerns is that the foot-and-mouth epidemic cost the Government £100 million, with compensation being paid for loss of four per cent of the national herd.
"Now bovine TB is substantially draining the public purse and is set to continue, if not increase. Something must be done."
A spokesman for Defra said: "I can categorically state that there is no way that we are hiding any figures. The figures for the West region are placed on the website monthly.
"They only finalise the statistics when 95 per cent of records are all complete. TB is not a straight forward disease to test for and it takes time to get a break down on figures."
Countryside campaigners have accused the Government of inefficiency and neglect for failing to highlight the growing problem of bovine TB in the West Midlands.
The Country, Land and Business Association said the failure of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to publish figures on the extent of TB in each county could be an attempt to play down the extent of the problem.
The organisation said Defra had failed to update its county figures for two years and the only indication that the disease was escalating was the number of farmers reporting the problem to the CLA.
The Government publishes monthly national figures on bovine TB as well as statistics for the West region, which takes in the West Midlands counties, Devon and Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
No individual figures for Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Staffordshire - where the disease is most prolific in the region - have been available for two years.
A spokesman for Defra denied it had been hiding the figures and insisted updated numbers on TB cases for each county would be published shortly. He said the procedures for calculating TB cases was difficult and took time to collate.
The CLA voiced its concerns as a consultation on dealing with TB closed earlier this month.
Frances Beatty, regional director of the CLA, said: "In the West Midlands the disease has become a major problem - particularly in the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire - and continues to spread unabated across our members' dairy herds.
"The acceleration in the number of cases over the last two years is borne out by the number of farmers reporting incidents and an increase in the national figures.
"But this increase is hard to corroborate since the figures for the number of incidents per county have not been released by Defra for the last two years. This at very least shows inefficiency and neglect. Or could it be an attempt to play down the figures and hence the extent of the problem?"
She added: "One of our greatest concerns is that the foot-and-mouth epidemic cost the Government £100 million, with compensation being paid for loss of four per cent of the national herd.
"Now bovine TB is substantially draining the public purse and is set to continue, if not increase. Something must be done."
A spokesman for Defra said: "I can categorically state that there is no way that we are hiding any figures. The figures for the West region are placed on the website monthly.
"They only finalise the statistics when 95 per cent of records are all complete. TB is not a straight forward disease to test for and it takes time to get a break down on figures."
Friday, March 05, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
5 Mar 2004: Column 1143W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2004, Official Report, column 1441W, on bovine TB, what criteria were used to assess the humaneness of the pesticide fumigants approved for the destruction of rabbits and moles. [158427]
Alun Michael: The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (COPR) requires pesticides to be humane and this issue in relation to approved vertebrate control agents was considered by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides in 1996.
Quantification of "humaneness" was attempted using the assumptions
(a) that the extent to which a fumigant is humane is universally related to the degree of distress,
(b) that increased severity of symptoms indicates the degree of distress caused, and
(c) that increased duration of symptoms increased distress. Since effects resulting in the death of an intoxicated animal will probably involve severe symptoms at least in extremis, the duration of severe symptomatology is used as a major determinant in assessment of humaneness. For judging the severity of symptoms reported among the following data listed, the criteria described in "Pain and Distress in Laboratory
5 Mar 2004: Column 1144W
Rodents and Lagomorphs: Report of the Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Associations Working Group on Pain and Distress" have been used as a guide.
The Working Group on Methods for Assessing the Humaneness of Vertebrate Pesticides concluded that pain, distress and suffering could not be measured objectively but that a subjective assessment of humaneness was possible, based on physiological and behavioural data, knowledge of mode of action and post-mortem reports.
The Littlewood report (1965) recommended that procedures (or in this case conditions) which are known to cause pain in humans should be assumed to do so in other vertebrates unless convincing evidence is available to the contrary.
5 Mar 2004: Column 1144W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of disease in humans have been attributed to TB infection in cats. [158006]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
There have been no reported cases of tuberculosis infection in humans attributed to infection in cats.
5 Mar 2004: Column 1147W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mode of action of (a) aluminium phosphide and (b) hydrogen cyanide is in terms of its effects on small mammals when used as a pesticide. [157930]
Alun Michael: The following modes of action apply to all mammals, not just small ones.
(a) Phosphine:
The primary mode of toxic action of phosphine is considered to be inhibition of cytochrome oxidase in the respiratory metabolism pathway, with additional direct cytotoxicity. Exposure to high concentrations of phosphine leads in vertebrates to a profound fall in blood pressure, followed by death. Lower concentrations cause pulmonary oedema and respiratory failure which may be fatal.
(b) Hydrogen Cyanide:
Cyanide combines with the ferric iron atom in haem proteins (eg cytochromes) in vertebrate tissues, impairing their capacity to undergo oxidation and reduction in the normal electron transport process. It can cause death extremely rapidly, primarily by inactivating cytochrome oxidase in tissues.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2004, Official Report, column 1441W, on bovine TB, what criteria were used to assess the humaneness of the pesticide fumigants approved for the destruction of rabbits and moles. [158427]
Alun Michael: The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (COPR) requires pesticides to be humane and this issue in relation to approved vertebrate control agents was considered by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides in 1996.
Quantification of "humaneness" was attempted using the assumptions
(a) that the extent to which a fumigant is humane is universally related to the degree of distress,
(b) that increased severity of symptoms indicates the degree of distress caused, and
(c) that increased duration of symptoms increased distress. Since effects resulting in the death of an intoxicated animal will probably involve severe symptoms at least in extremis, the duration of severe symptomatology is used as a major determinant in assessment of humaneness. For judging the severity of symptoms reported among the following data listed, the criteria described in "Pain and Distress in Laboratory
5 Mar 2004: Column 1144W
Rodents and Lagomorphs: Report of the Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Associations Working Group on Pain and Distress" have been used as a guide.
The Working Group on Methods for Assessing the Humaneness of Vertebrate Pesticides concluded that pain, distress and suffering could not be measured objectively but that a subjective assessment of humaneness was possible, based on physiological and behavioural data, knowledge of mode of action and post-mortem reports.
The Littlewood report (1965) recommended that procedures (or in this case conditions) which are known to cause pain in humans should be assumed to do so in other vertebrates unless convincing evidence is available to the contrary.
5 Mar 2004: Column 1144W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of disease in humans have been attributed to TB infection in cats. [158006]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
There have been no reported cases of tuberculosis infection in humans attributed to infection in cats.
5 Mar 2004: Column 1147W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mode of action of (a) aluminium phosphide and (b) hydrogen cyanide is in terms of its effects on small mammals when used as a pesticide. [157930]
Alun Michael: The following modes of action apply to all mammals, not just small ones.
(a) Phosphine:
The primary mode of toxic action of phosphine is considered to be inhibition of cytochrome oxidase in the respiratory metabolism pathway, with additional direct cytotoxicity. Exposure to high concentrations of phosphine leads in vertebrates to a profound fall in blood pressure, followed by death. Lower concentrations cause pulmonary oedema and respiratory failure which may be fatal.
(b) Hydrogen Cyanide:
Cyanide combines with the ferric iron atom in haem proteins (eg cytochromes) in vertebrate tissues, impairing their capacity to undergo oxidation and reduction in the normal electron transport process. It can cause death extremely rapidly, primarily by inactivating cytochrome oxidase in tissues.
Sunday, February 29, 2004
Mr Speaker stifles the bovine TB inquisition
From The Sunday Telegraph (Christopher Booker)
I reported last week that the Tory MP Owen Paterson, a front-bench agriculture spokesman, was planning on Tuesday to break the record for the largest number of written questions on a single subject ever tabled to ministers on one day. The purpose of his 300 serious and carefully crafted questions was to obtain information crucial to a better understanding of the crisis that now threatens our cattle industry as a result of the epidemic of bovine TB in Britain's soaring badger population.
Following my report, which was widely picked up by the media, including the BBC Today programme, a serious row broke out behind the scenes when Mr Paterson was told that, on a ruling by the Speaker, Michael Martin, his 300 questions were not acceptable. On Wednesday, in clear breach of parliamentary convention, the questions did not appear on the Commons order paper.
This decision by the Speaker had serious constitutional implications. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for MPs to call ministers to account or to get straight answers to questions. Oral questions can be so easily side-stepped that they have become a farce, and debates likewise, since these are now time-limited and ministers merely have to flannel until time runs out.
Written questions, to which ministers and civil servants are obliged to give considered answers under the rules of the House, have become almost the only remaining means whereby MPs can get the information they need to monitor the Government's performance.
After tense negotiations involving the Tory Chief Whip, a compromise was eventually arrived at whereby Mr Paterson was permitted to table his 300 questions on TB over four days. He may not thus establish any records. But his campaign to tease out the data necessary to assess the scale of the crisis facing Britain's countryside is back on track.
I reported last week that the Tory MP Owen Paterson, a front-bench agriculture spokesman, was planning on Tuesday to break the record for the largest number of written questions on a single subject ever tabled to ministers on one day. The purpose of his 300 serious and carefully crafted questions was to obtain information crucial to a better understanding of the crisis that now threatens our cattle industry as a result of the epidemic of bovine TB in Britain's soaring badger population.
Following my report, which was widely picked up by the media, including the BBC Today programme, a serious row broke out behind the scenes when Mr Paterson was told that, on a ruling by the Speaker, Michael Martin, his 300 questions were not acceptable. On Wednesday, in clear breach of parliamentary convention, the questions did not appear on the Commons order paper.
This decision by the Speaker had serious constitutional implications. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for MPs to call ministers to account or to get straight answers to questions. Oral questions can be so easily side-stepped that they have become a farce, and debates likewise, since these are now time-limited and ministers merely have to flannel until time runs out.
Written questions, to which ministers and civil servants are obliged to give considered answers under the rules of the House, have become almost the only remaining means whereby MPs can get the information they need to monitor the Government's performance.
After tense negotiations involving the Tory Chief Whip, a compromise was eventually arrived at whereby Mr Paterson was permitted to table his 300 questions on TB over four days. He may not thus establish any records. But his campaign to tease out the data necessary to assess the scale of the crisis facing Britain's countryside is back on track.
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
24 Feb 2004: Column 331W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the natural predators of the badger are, other than man; and what effect they exert on the United Kingdom badger population. [153961]
Mr. Bradshaw: Adult badgers have no natural predators, other than man in Britain. It is not unusual, however, for badger cubs to be killed by dogs, foxes and sometimes by adult badgers1.
24 Feb 2004: Column 332W
The impact of non-human induced mortality on the national badger population has not been quantified.
1 The Handbook of British Mammals (1991). Third Edition. Edited by G. B. Corbet and S. Harris. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
24 Feb 2004: Column 332W
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many badgers have been culled in each of the (a) proactive and (b) inactive cull areas in each of the selected trial zones in each year since the trials commenced. [155081]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Randomised Badger Culling Trial compares 30 areas of 100 km 2 , grouped into 10 triplets. One of the following three "treatments" is allocated to each trial area:
'Proactive' culling where badgers are trapped and culled at the outset of the trial and at intervals afterwards.
'Reactive' culling where badgers are trapped and culled from social groups associated with farms which have a confirmed incident of bovine TB during the course of the trial.
'Survey only' areas where no trapping or culling takes place. Setts are surveyed regularly to check for signs of unlawful removal of badgers. These areas act as a scientific control against which the impact of the two culling strategies can be measured.
Culling in the reactive areas of the trial has been suspended.
Details of the badgers culled in the proactive and reactive treatment areas are given in the following table:
Badgers taken
to 12 Jan
2004
Triplet Proactive (P) May 1998
to Jan
1999 May 1999 toJan 2000 May 2000 toJan 2001 May 2002 to Jan 2003 May 2003 to Jan 2004 Total
or Reactive (R) P R P R P R P R P R P R
A 55 0 0 34 149 47 52 36 256 117
B 238 0 85 73 74 34 49 84 172 110 618 301
C 246 0 111 178 126 115 132 101 615 394
D 293 0 368 122 661 122
E (1)744 0 96 62 258 126 1,098 188
F 451 0 248 145 103 290 802 435
G 428 0 205 172 144 84 777 256
H 162 0 231 16 71 143 464 159
I 219 0 175 94 394 94
J 441 0 187 0 628 0
Sub total 238 386 73 1,970 246 2,057 641 1,662 1,106 6,313 2,066
Total (P and R) 238 459 2,216 2,698 2,768 8,379
(1) Combined total for initial and follow-up cull completed in the same culling year
Note:
No data for May 2001-January 2002 when trial suspended due to FMD
24 Feb 2004: Column 332W
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets have been set for the bovine TB testing of herds in the last five years for which figures are available; how many have been completed; and how long it will take to clear the backlog of required tests. [155082]
Mr. Bradshaw: The State Veterinary Service has two targets relating to TB testing of cattle herds:
(a) 95 per cent. of herds to be tested within one month of the due date, and
(b) 100 per cent. of herds to be tested within three months of the due date.
The following table details the performance figures for the years where figures are available.
2001 2002 2003(2)
Number of herds due to be tested 12,207 19,877 15,524
Completed tests within one month of the due date (percentage) 14.5 47.4 78.7
Completed tests within three months of the due date (percentage) 22.7 65.0 92.7
(2) to end September
The number of tests overdue at the end of December 2003 was 3,623 of which only 163 were more than 12 months overdue (provisional data). This is similar to the number of overdue TB tests recorded before the FMD epidemic.
24 Feb 2004: Column 333W
The number of overdue TB tests has remained more or less stable since April 2003, with no significant trend up or down. It is therefore considered that the clearance of the backlog of TB tests, which accumulated during the FMD epidemic, has been completed.
24 Feb 2004: Column 333W
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what budget was set by her Department for each year for all aspects of bovine TB research, testing, culling, compensation,
24 Feb 2004: Column 334W
fieldwork and other costs for the last five years for which figures are available; and what the actual spending was in each year. [155083]
Mr. Bradshaw: Historical information on the budgets originally set for various elements of the bovine TB programme is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, a breakdown of the actual spend for the last five financial years is shown in the following table:
Expenditure on bovine TB in Great Britain: 1998–99 to 2002–03 Expenditure in £000
1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03
Compensation(3) 3,491 5,303 6,632 9,243 31,146
TB testing 7,247 8,329 8,675 3,571 12,398
Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) and associated research 2,988 4,392 6,630 6,001 6,479
Other research (not including RBCT) 2,541 4,114 5,266 6,112 6,824
Other costs(4) 8,617 9,002 8,996 5,557 17,055
Total (rounded figures) 24,883 31,141 36,199 30,485 73,902
(3) Includes compensation paid for cattle and deer slaughtered as a result of TB control measures.
(4) Includes State Veterinary Service staff costs and diagnosis carried out by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.
Fieldwork costs are included in the expenditure shown for the RBCT and associated research.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the natural predators of the badger are, other than man; and what effect they exert on the United Kingdom badger population. [153961]
Mr. Bradshaw: Adult badgers have no natural predators, other than man in Britain. It is not unusual, however, for badger cubs to be killed by dogs, foxes and sometimes by adult badgers1.
24 Feb 2004: Column 332W
The impact of non-human induced mortality on the national badger population has not been quantified.
1 The Handbook of British Mammals (1991). Third Edition. Edited by G. B. Corbet and S. Harris. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
24 Feb 2004: Column 332W
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many badgers have been culled in each of the (a) proactive and (b) inactive cull areas in each of the selected trial zones in each year since the trials commenced. [155081]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Randomised Badger Culling Trial compares 30 areas of 100 km 2 , grouped into 10 triplets. One of the following three "treatments" is allocated to each trial area:
'Proactive' culling where badgers are trapped and culled at the outset of the trial and at intervals afterwards.
'Reactive' culling where badgers are trapped and culled from social groups associated with farms which have a confirmed incident of bovine TB during the course of the trial.
'Survey only' areas where no trapping or culling takes place. Setts are surveyed regularly to check for signs of unlawful removal of badgers. These areas act as a scientific control against which the impact of the two culling strategies can be measured.
Culling in the reactive areas of the trial has been suspended.
Details of the badgers culled in the proactive and reactive treatment areas are given in the following table:
Badgers taken
to 12 Jan
2004
Triplet Proactive (P) May 1998
to Jan
1999 May 1999 toJan 2000 May 2000 toJan 2001 May 2002 to Jan 2003 May 2003 to Jan 2004 Total
or Reactive (R) P R P R P R P R P R P R
A 55 0 0 34 149 47 52 36 256 117
B 238 0 85 73 74 34 49 84 172 110 618 301
C 246 0 111 178 126 115 132 101 615 394
D 293 0 368 122 661 122
E (1)744 0 96 62 258 126 1,098 188
F 451 0 248 145 103 290 802 435
G 428 0 205 172 144 84 777 256
H 162 0 231 16 71 143 464 159
I 219 0 175 94 394 94
J 441 0 187 0 628 0
Sub total 238 386 73 1,970 246 2,057 641 1,662 1,106 6,313 2,066
Total (P and R) 238 459 2,216 2,698 2,768 8,379
(1) Combined total for initial and follow-up cull completed in the same culling year
Note:
No data for May 2001-January 2002 when trial suspended due to FMD
24 Feb 2004: Column 332W
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets have been set for the bovine TB testing of herds in the last five years for which figures are available; how many have been completed; and how long it will take to clear the backlog of required tests. [155082]
Mr. Bradshaw: The State Veterinary Service has two targets relating to TB testing of cattle herds:
(a) 95 per cent. of herds to be tested within one month of the due date, and
(b) 100 per cent. of herds to be tested within three months of the due date.
The following table details the performance figures for the years where figures are available.
2001 2002 2003(2)
Number of herds due to be tested 12,207 19,877 15,524
Completed tests within one month of the due date (percentage) 14.5 47.4 78.7
Completed tests within three months of the due date (percentage) 22.7 65.0 92.7
(2) to end September
The number of tests overdue at the end of December 2003 was 3,623 of which only 163 were more than 12 months overdue (provisional data). This is similar to the number of overdue TB tests recorded before the FMD epidemic.
24 Feb 2004: Column 333W
The number of overdue TB tests has remained more or less stable since April 2003, with no significant trend up or down. It is therefore considered that the clearance of the backlog of TB tests, which accumulated during the FMD epidemic, has been completed.
24 Feb 2004: Column 333W
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what budget was set by her Department for each year for all aspects of bovine TB research, testing, culling, compensation,
24 Feb 2004: Column 334W
fieldwork and other costs for the last five years for which figures are available; and what the actual spending was in each year. [155083]
Mr. Bradshaw: Historical information on the budgets originally set for various elements of the bovine TB programme is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, a breakdown of the actual spend for the last five financial years is shown in the following table:
Expenditure on bovine TB in Great Britain: 1998–99 to 2002–03 Expenditure in £000
1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03
Compensation(3) 3,491 5,303 6,632 9,243 31,146
TB testing 7,247 8,329 8,675 3,571 12,398
Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) and associated research 2,988 4,392 6,630 6,001 6,479
Other research (not including RBCT) 2,541 4,114 5,266 6,112 6,824
Other costs(4) 8,617 9,002 8,996 5,557 17,055
Total (rounded figures) 24,883 31,141 36,199 30,485 73,902
(3) Includes compensation paid for cattle and deer slaughtered as a result of TB control measures.
(4) Includes State Veterinary Service staff costs and diagnosis carried out by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.
Fieldwork costs are included in the expenditure shown for the RBCT and associated research.
Monday, February 23, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
23 Feb 2004: Column 125W
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the spread of bovine TB in (a)the North West and (b)each county in the North West. [153887]
Mr. Bradshaw: Statistics are collected by areas covered by Animal Health Divisional Offices (AHDOs). Carlisle AHDO covers Cumbria. Preston AHDO covers Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
In Cumbria, there were 3,969 registered herds in 2003, with 1,949 TB herd tests carried out. Provisional data show there were 70 new herd TB incidents in 2003, of which 15 were confirmed (three remain unclassified). In 2002. there were 4,041 registered herds, and 1,504 herd tests carried out. There were 33 new herd incidents, of which 10 were confirmed.
The increase in incidence in Cumbria is giving some concern. TB testing is now being carried out on all farms in an area of South West Cumbria known as the Furness Peninsula, concurrent with a survey of badgers (killed in Road Traffic Accidents) and deer (culled, or found dead, with suspicious lesions) in the same geographical area. It is hoped the data collected will help inform decisions about TB controls in the area.
In the area covered by Preston AHDO, there were 3,160 registered herds in 2003, with 918 herd tests carried out. Provisional data show five TB herd incidents, with one confirmed. In 2002, there were 3,303 registered herds, and 1,126 herd tests. These resulted in nine TB incidents, with none confirmed.
There has been a recent breakdown in a herd in Greater Manchester, but this has not yet been confirmed at post-mortem.
23 Feb 2004: Column 125W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the preferred foods of adult badgers are; and on what foods they rely when their preferred foods are in short supply. [153966]
Mr. Bradshaw: Badgers eat both animal and plant material and are considered to be largely opportunistic in their choice of food. Although they feed on a wide range of foodstuffs, earthworms are the most important single item in the diet of British badgers. Because these and other food types are taken according to their availability, the diet of badgers varies both geographically and seasonally 1 .
23 Feb 2004 : Column 126W
1 The Handbook of British Mammals (1991). Third Edition. Edited by GB Corbet and S. Harris. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
23 Feb 2004 : Column 126W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to what diseases, other than tuberculosis, badgers are susceptible. [153978]
Mr. Bradshaw: Rabies and distemper have been found in badgers in other European countries but these diseases have not been detected in UK populations. Badgers are also susceptible to bacterial infections, including leptospirosis and salmonellosis.
23 Feb 2004 : Column 126W
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total paid in compensation to farmers for bovine tuberculosis was in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the total was paid in excess of the market value of the animals destroyed. [155000]
Mr. Bradshaw: The following table gives the compensation paid to farmers for cattle slaughtered under TB control measures 1998 to 2002.
£ Compensation paid
1998 3,605,242
1999 5,770,983
2000 7,307,797
2001 7,074,125
2002 23,138,512
There is evidence from a National Audit Office study carried out in Wales in 2002 and from other sources that, overall, average compensation payments are significantly higher than average market prices. However, it is difficult to quantify the extent of this disparity.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the spread of bovine TB in (a)the North West and (b)each county in the North West. [153887]
Mr. Bradshaw: Statistics are collected by areas covered by Animal Health Divisional Offices (AHDOs). Carlisle AHDO covers Cumbria. Preston AHDO covers Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
In Cumbria, there were 3,969 registered herds in 2003, with 1,949 TB herd tests carried out. Provisional data show there were 70 new herd TB incidents in 2003, of which 15 were confirmed (three remain unclassified). In 2002. there were 4,041 registered herds, and 1,504 herd tests carried out. There were 33 new herd incidents, of which 10 were confirmed.
The increase in incidence in Cumbria is giving some concern. TB testing is now being carried out on all farms in an area of South West Cumbria known as the Furness Peninsula, concurrent with a survey of badgers (killed in Road Traffic Accidents) and deer (culled, or found dead, with suspicious lesions) in the same geographical area. It is hoped the data collected will help inform decisions about TB controls in the area.
In the area covered by Preston AHDO, there were 3,160 registered herds in 2003, with 918 herd tests carried out. Provisional data show five TB herd incidents, with one confirmed. In 2002, there were 3,303 registered herds, and 1,126 herd tests. These resulted in nine TB incidents, with none confirmed.
There has been a recent breakdown in a herd in Greater Manchester, but this has not yet been confirmed at post-mortem.
23 Feb 2004: Column 125W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the preferred foods of adult badgers are; and on what foods they rely when their preferred foods are in short supply. [153966]
Mr. Bradshaw: Badgers eat both animal and plant material and are considered to be largely opportunistic in their choice of food. Although they feed on a wide range of foodstuffs, earthworms are the most important single item in the diet of British badgers. Because these and other food types are taken according to their availability, the diet of badgers varies both geographically and seasonally 1 .
23 Feb 2004 : Column 126W
1 The Handbook of British Mammals (1991). Third Edition. Edited by GB Corbet and S. Harris. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
23 Feb 2004 : Column 126W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to what diseases, other than tuberculosis, badgers are susceptible. [153978]
Mr. Bradshaw: Rabies and distemper have been found in badgers in other European countries but these diseases have not been detected in UK populations. Badgers are also susceptible to bacterial infections, including leptospirosis and salmonellosis.
23 Feb 2004 : Column 126W
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total paid in compensation to farmers for bovine tuberculosis was in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the total was paid in excess of the market value of the animals destroyed. [155000]
Mr. Bradshaw: The following table gives the compensation paid to farmers for cattle slaughtered under TB control measures 1998 to 2002.
£ Compensation paid
1998 3,605,242
1999 5,770,983
2000 7,307,797
2001 7,074,125
2002 23,138,512
There is evidence from a National Audit Office study carried out in Wales in 2002 and from other sources that, overall, average compensation payments are significantly higher than average market prices. However, it is difficult to quantify the extent of this disparity.
Thursday, February 12, 2004
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1559W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1559W
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]
12 Feb 2004: Column 1560W
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
12 Feb 2004: Column 1560W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1560W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1561W
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
12 Feb 2004: Column 1561W
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]
12 Feb 2004: Column 1562W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1562W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1565W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1566W
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.
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1559W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1559W
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]
12 Feb 2004: Column 1560W
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
12 Feb 2004: Column 1560W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1560W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1561W
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
12 Feb 2004: Column 1561W
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]
12 Feb 2004: Column 1562W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1562W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1565W
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.
12 Feb 2004: Column 1566W
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.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
11 Feb 2004: Column 1441W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of whether there are (a) physiological and (b) neurological differences between rabbits and moles, and badgers, which would affect their response to poisoning by fumigants, in terms of the distress and pain caused. [153926]
Alun Michael: All pesticides used as fumigants are subject to strict regulatory control and must be approved by Ministers before they can be marketed or used in the UK. Those seeking approval for such products are required to provide data to ensure that the product is safe, effective and humane.
No specific assessment is made of physiological or neurological differences between rabbits and moles in response to poisoning by pesticide fumigants. However, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides considered a report in 1996 on humaneness of vertebrate control agents, which resulted in the loss of one pesticide fumigant substance and approval for the remaining pesticide fumigant products to continue. Data on humaneness of pesticide fumigants in relation to the target test species, such as rabbits and moles was considered.
Use of pesticide fumigants against badgers, which are protected species, is not permitted, except in special circumstances, and as such would not have been considered.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of whether there are (a) physiological and (b) neurological differences between rabbits and moles, and badgers, which would affect their response to poisoning by fumigants, in terms of the distress and pain caused. [153926]
Alun Michael: All pesticides used as fumigants are subject to strict regulatory control and must be approved by Ministers before they can be marketed or used in the UK. Those seeking approval for such products are required to provide data to ensure that the product is safe, effective and humane.
No specific assessment is made of physiological or neurological differences between rabbits and moles in response to poisoning by pesticide fumigants. However, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides considered a report in 1996 on humaneness of vertebrate control agents, which resulted in the loss of one pesticide fumigant substance and approval for the remaining pesticide fumigant products to continue. Data on humaneness of pesticide fumigants in relation to the target test species, such as rabbits and moles was considered.
Use of pesticide fumigants against badgers, which are protected species, is not permitted, except in special circumstances, and as such would not have been considered.
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
10 Feb 2004: Column 1298W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her best estimate is of the staff time costs in replacing stolen, lost and damaged traps used in the operational Krebs triplets areas. [153925]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is not possible to quantify the staff input into individual components of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial.
10 Feb 2004: Column 1299W
For the average number of field staff employed in operations associated with the culling trial, and total cost of the Wildlife Unit by financial year, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 January 2004, Official Report, column 1366W.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her best estimate is of the staff time costs in replacing stolen, lost and damaged traps used in the operational Krebs triplets areas. [153925]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is not possible to quantify the staff input into individual components of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial.
10 Feb 2004: Column 1299W
For the average number of field staff employed in operations associated with the culling trial, and total cost of the Wildlife Unit by financial year, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 January 2004, Official Report, column 1366W.
Friday, February 06, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
6 Feb 2004 : Column 1109W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the sensitivity of the test used on translocated badgers is in (a)positive response and (b)negative response. [150583]
Mr. Bradshaw: The test, which is generally used, for the detection of TB in translocated badgers is a test for antibodies (the Brock Test). This is generally accepted to have a low sensitivity (the ability to detect diseased animals). However it is difficult to give accurate values for the sensitivity because euthanased animals are not always subject to laboratory culture.
Where a badger translocation is carried out under licence (from Defra or English Nature) each individual badger is tested three times. If any of the three results are positive, the badger is euthanased. Any other badger that has been in contact with the positive testing badger is also euthanased, regardless of the results of its own tests
Where an orphaned or previously injured badger is translocated by an animal centre or similar body they follow a voluntary code of practice (drawn up by the RSPCA, National Federation of Badgers Groups and Secret World Wildlife Rescue). Any animal to be relocated is tested three times and, if it tests positive, is euthanased. This protocol does not advise in the destruction of badgers who have had contact with a test positive badger. It should be emphasised that this voluntary protocol was not devised or approved by Defra.
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency is trying to develop a range of TB tests for badgers with improved accuracy, including a gamma-interferon test.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herds were placed under TB restriction in December 2002; and how many of those same herds were still under restriction in October 2003. [150571]
Mr. Bradshaw: A total of 725 herds were placed under movement restriction in December 2002. This includes 294 herds placed under movement restriction following disclosure of a new TB incident. The remainder were herds placed under movement restriction because the routine herd test was overdue.
6 Feb 2004: Column 1110W
Ninety six herds placed under restriction in December 2002 were still under restriction on 31October 2003 (66 of those as a result of an ongoing TB incident).
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herds require 60-day testing for tuberculosis; and what the estimated annual cost is for this testing programme in 2003–04. [150587]
Mr. Bradshaw: All herds suffering a TB breakdown are subject to at least one short interval ("60-day") test. A total of 7,275 short-interval tests were carried out from April to December 2003, at an estimated cost (including administration costs) of £3,485k. The forecast cost for 2003–04 is £4,600k.
6 Feb 2004: Column 1110W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(1) pursuant to her answer of 8December 2003, Official Report, column 215W, what epidemiological inferences can be drawn from the observed seasonal trends in the incidence of TB in cattle; [150596]
(2) what further research she is planning into seasonal trends in the incidence of TB in cattle. [150712]
Mr. Bradshaw: The absolute number of new TB incidents disclosed every month is closely correlated to the rate of testing. Hence, the majority of incidents are detected in the winter months (October through March), when most herds are tested.
However, if the data are adjusted to take into account the seasonality of TB testing, there does not appear to be a clear seasonal pattern in the rate of new TB incidents disclosed each month (i.e. it is not possible to conclude that the herd incidence of bovine TB in certain months of the year is consistently higher than in other months).
Because of the difficulty in studying seasonality of TB infection, there are few reports investigating this aspect of the disease. However, the results of one such investigation was reported in a paper by Wilesmith et al (1982)1. They examined seasonal variations in the risk of acquiring infection between 1971 and 1976 for a Dorset cattle herd during an extensive TB herd breakdown. The data indicated that the April/May period presented the time of greatest risk. This correlated with possible exposure to re-infection at the start of the grazing season, exposure lasting for a relatively short time. However, re-exposure to infection was not necessarily the same as re-exposure to pasture, since some stock were out-wintered.
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency will continue to monitor epidemiological trends, including seasonality.
1 Wilesmith, J. W, T. W. A. Little, H. V. Thompson and C. Swan. (1982). Bovine tuberculosis in domestic and wild mammals in an area of Dorset. I. Tuberculosis in cattle. Journal of Hygiene, Cambridge 89: 195–210.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of M. bovis was isolated from (a)carcasses and (b)faeces from wildlife species tested in studies carried out by or on behalf of her Department and its predecessor since 1974. [150611]
6 Feb 2004: Column 1111W
Mr. Bradshaw: The information is as follows:
(a)All previous Defra information on M. bovis isolated from wildlife carcases was collated in the following review paper: Delahay, R. J., de Leeuw, A. N. S., Barlow, A. M., Clifton-Hadley, R. S. and Cheeseman, C. L. (2002). "The Status of Mycobacterium bovis Infection in British Wild Mammals: A Review". Veterinary Journal 163, 1–16.
(b)Two projects currently in progress involve sampling both live animals and carcase material from a variety of species. The data from these projects have not been fully analysed at this point so accurate figures are not available. Results from carcase material published in the OIE report on Wildlife disease 2003 showed that the prevalence of M. bovis infection was 2.9 per cent. in wildlife (669 cadavers, 20 positive cultures). The culture positive species were fallow deer, fox and muntjac.
Live sampling (samples including faeces) from over 4,000 small mammals (<30g) have shown that the prevalence of M. bovis is less than 0.3 per cent. The spoligotypes associated with these animals are largely of a type only found in small mammals.
6 Feb 2004: Column 1111W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, columns 21–18W, under what circumstances genetic structures of M. bovis undergo mutation following sequences of transmission, with particular reference to transmission between species; at what rate mutations occur; whether techniques and facilities are available to detect these changes; and whether back-mutation of bacilli from final host species would assist in the determination of the direction of inter-species transmission. [150847]
Mr. Bradshaw: As Mycobacterium bovis is transmitted over time there is evidence that hyper variable regions of its genome change, although most of the genome remains stable. Changes can be identified using molecular biological techniques. Hyper variable regions may change in both intra and interspecies transmission. There is no reason to believe that, except for very rare adaptive changes, the rate of mutation will increase as a strain moves between species.
The rate at which mutations occur depends on the region of the genome. Hence, single nucleotides have an average rate of change of about 10- 9 per nucleotide per generation. However, tandem repeats that show variable numbers (variable numbers of tandem repeats, or VNTRs), show a greater rate of change. Spoligotype changes are intermediate in rate between VNTR and single nucleotide mutations.
We use two main techniques to detect genetic variation in M. bovis. The first of these, spoligotyping, exploits a polymorphic region direct repeat (DR) locus in the genome that is composed of multiple 36bp DR copies interspersed by unique spacers, with strains varying in the presence or absence of spacers. The VNTR method targets 6 alleles (A-F) that vary in the length of internal repeat units, permitting strains to be differentiated on the number of repeats at each target; i.e. 7–5-5–4-3–3-3 would have 7 copies of allele A, 5 of B, etc. High throughput facilities for both of these techniques exist at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency
6 Feb 2004: Column 1112W
(VLA), allowing the molecular typing of about 4,000 to 5,000 strains per year. Our current models of the population structure of M. bovis suggest that the VNTR loci evolve faster than the DR repeat locus. Thus spoligotyping provides a global picture of the population structure and epidemiology of M. bovis in Great Britain, while VNTR typing has proved useful as a fine scale method for detecting local changes in the M. bovis population.
The evolution of the members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex has led to specific host preferences; hence M. tuberculosis appears human restricted, while M. bovis consists of a series of clones with a wider mammalian host range. The process of host adaptation probably involves a number of discreet mutations, which would all need to revert to reverse the host adaptation. Back-mutation i.e. the reversion of mutations, occurs very infrequently. The rate for a specific single nucleotide reversion would be about 10- 9 X 10- 9 ( or 10- 1 8 ) per nucleotide per generation. Indeed, if some of these mutation events were deletions they could not revert without the re introduction of the DNA. These questions are being investigated using laboratory based molecular biological techniques at the VLA.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the sensitivity of the test used on translocated badgers is in (a)positive response and (b)negative response. [150583]
Mr. Bradshaw: The test, which is generally used, for the detection of TB in translocated badgers is a test for antibodies (the Brock Test). This is generally accepted to have a low sensitivity (the ability to detect diseased animals). However it is difficult to give accurate values for the sensitivity because euthanased animals are not always subject to laboratory culture.
Where a badger translocation is carried out under licence (from Defra or English Nature) each individual badger is tested three times. If any of the three results are positive, the badger is euthanased. Any other badger that has been in contact with the positive testing badger is also euthanased, regardless of the results of its own tests
Where an orphaned or previously injured badger is translocated by an animal centre or similar body they follow a voluntary code of practice (drawn up by the RSPCA, National Federation of Badgers Groups and Secret World Wildlife Rescue). Any animal to be relocated is tested three times and, if it tests positive, is euthanased. This protocol does not advise in the destruction of badgers who have had contact with a test positive badger. It should be emphasised that this voluntary protocol was not devised or approved by Defra.
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency is trying to develop a range of TB tests for badgers with improved accuracy, including a gamma-interferon test.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herds were placed under TB restriction in December 2002; and how many of those same herds were still under restriction in October 2003. [150571]
Mr. Bradshaw: A total of 725 herds were placed under movement restriction in December 2002. This includes 294 herds placed under movement restriction following disclosure of a new TB incident. The remainder were herds placed under movement restriction because the routine herd test was overdue.
6 Feb 2004: Column 1110W
Ninety six herds placed under restriction in December 2002 were still under restriction on 31October 2003 (66 of those as a result of an ongoing TB incident).
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herds require 60-day testing for tuberculosis; and what the estimated annual cost is for this testing programme in 2003–04. [150587]
Mr. Bradshaw: All herds suffering a TB breakdown are subject to at least one short interval ("60-day") test. A total of 7,275 short-interval tests were carried out from April to December 2003, at an estimated cost (including administration costs) of £3,485k. The forecast cost for 2003–04 is £4,600k.
6 Feb 2004: Column 1110W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(1) pursuant to her answer of 8December 2003, Official Report, column 215W, what epidemiological inferences can be drawn from the observed seasonal trends in the incidence of TB in cattle; [150596]
(2) what further research she is planning into seasonal trends in the incidence of TB in cattle. [150712]
Mr. Bradshaw: The absolute number of new TB incidents disclosed every month is closely correlated to the rate of testing. Hence, the majority of incidents are detected in the winter months (October through March), when most herds are tested.
However, if the data are adjusted to take into account the seasonality of TB testing, there does not appear to be a clear seasonal pattern in the rate of new TB incidents disclosed each month (i.e. it is not possible to conclude that the herd incidence of bovine TB in certain months of the year is consistently higher than in other months).
Because of the difficulty in studying seasonality of TB infection, there are few reports investigating this aspect of the disease. However, the results of one such investigation was reported in a paper by Wilesmith et al (1982)1. They examined seasonal variations in the risk of acquiring infection between 1971 and 1976 for a Dorset cattle herd during an extensive TB herd breakdown. The data indicated that the April/May period presented the time of greatest risk. This correlated with possible exposure to re-infection at the start of the grazing season, exposure lasting for a relatively short time. However, re-exposure to infection was not necessarily the same as re-exposure to pasture, since some stock were out-wintered.
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency will continue to monitor epidemiological trends, including seasonality.
1 Wilesmith, J. W, T. W. A. Little, H. V. Thompson and C. Swan. (1982). Bovine tuberculosis in domestic and wild mammals in an area of Dorset. I. Tuberculosis in cattle. Journal of Hygiene, Cambridge 89: 195–210.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of M. bovis was isolated from (a)carcasses and (b)faeces from wildlife species tested in studies carried out by or on behalf of her Department and its predecessor since 1974. [150611]
6 Feb 2004: Column 1111W
Mr. Bradshaw: The information is as follows:
(a)All previous Defra information on M. bovis isolated from wildlife carcases was collated in the following review paper: Delahay, R. J., de Leeuw, A. N. S., Barlow, A. M., Clifton-Hadley, R. S. and Cheeseman, C. L. (2002). "The Status of Mycobacterium bovis Infection in British Wild Mammals: A Review". Veterinary Journal 163, 1–16.
(b)Two projects currently in progress involve sampling both live animals and carcase material from a variety of species. The data from these projects have not been fully analysed at this point so accurate figures are not available. Results from carcase material published in the OIE report on Wildlife disease 2003 showed that the prevalence of M. bovis infection was 2.9 per cent. in wildlife (669 cadavers, 20 positive cultures). The culture positive species were fallow deer, fox and muntjac.
Live sampling (samples including faeces) from over 4,000 small mammals (<30g) have shown that the prevalence of M. bovis is less than 0.3 per cent. The spoligotypes associated with these animals are largely of a type only found in small mammals.
6 Feb 2004: Column 1111W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, columns 21–18W, under what circumstances genetic structures of M. bovis undergo mutation following sequences of transmission, with particular reference to transmission between species; at what rate mutations occur; whether techniques and facilities are available to detect these changes; and whether back-mutation of bacilli from final host species would assist in the determination of the direction of inter-species transmission. [150847]
Mr. Bradshaw: As Mycobacterium bovis is transmitted over time there is evidence that hyper variable regions of its genome change, although most of the genome remains stable. Changes can be identified using molecular biological techniques. Hyper variable regions may change in both intra and interspecies transmission. There is no reason to believe that, except for very rare adaptive changes, the rate of mutation will increase as a strain moves between species.
The rate at which mutations occur depends on the region of the genome. Hence, single nucleotides have an average rate of change of about 10- 9 per nucleotide per generation. However, tandem repeats that show variable numbers (variable numbers of tandem repeats, or VNTRs), show a greater rate of change. Spoligotype changes are intermediate in rate between VNTR and single nucleotide mutations.
We use two main techniques to detect genetic variation in M. bovis. The first of these, spoligotyping, exploits a polymorphic region direct repeat (DR) locus in the genome that is composed of multiple 36bp DR copies interspersed by unique spacers, with strains varying in the presence or absence of spacers. The VNTR method targets 6 alleles (A-F) that vary in the length of internal repeat units, permitting strains to be differentiated on the number of repeats at each target; i.e. 7–5-5–4-3–3-3 would have 7 copies of allele A, 5 of B, etc. High throughput facilities for both of these techniques exist at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency
6 Feb 2004: Column 1112W
(VLA), allowing the molecular typing of about 4,000 to 5,000 strains per year. Our current models of the population structure of M. bovis suggest that the VNTR loci evolve faster than the DR repeat locus. Thus spoligotyping provides a global picture of the population structure and epidemiology of M. bovis in Great Britain, while VNTR typing has proved useful as a fine scale method for detecting local changes in the M. bovis population.
The evolution of the members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex has led to specific host preferences; hence M. tuberculosis appears human restricted, while M. bovis consists of a series of clones with a wider mammalian host range. The process of host adaptation probably involves a number of discreet mutations, which would all need to revert to reverse the host adaptation. Back-mutation i.e. the reversion of mutations, occurs very infrequently. The rate for a specific single nucleotide reversion would be about 10- 9 X 10- 9 ( or 10- 1 8 ) per nucleotide per generation. Indeed, if some of these mutation events were deletions they could not revert without the re introduction of the DNA. These questions are being investigated using laboratory based molecular biological techniques at the VLA.
Monday, February 02, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
2 Feb 2004: Column 620W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 522W, on badgers, whether the reference to the gassing of badgers being considered to be inhumane refers only to the use of hydrogen cyanide gas; and what gases are available for use for the slaughter of subterranean animals which have properties that do not engender distress in those animals. [150568]
Mr. Bradshaw: In his 1980 report, "Badgers, Cattle and Tuberculosis", Lord Zuckerman considered gassing as a method of capture. Having consulted the Government Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down, he recorded that:
Cymag, containing sodium cyanide, which generates cyanide gas for rat and rabbit control; and Luxan Talunex, and Phostoxin, both of which contain aluminium phosphide and generate phosphine gas for the control of moles, rats and rabbits.
These pesticides are approved on the basis that they are safe, effective, and do not cause unnecessary pain and suffering to the target animal.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 522W, on badgers, whether the reference to the gassing of badgers being considered to be inhumane refers only to the use of hydrogen cyanide gas; and what gases are available for use for the slaughter of subterranean animals which have properties that do not engender distress in those animals. [150568]
Mr. Bradshaw: In his 1980 report, "Badgers, Cattle and Tuberculosis", Lord Zuckerman considered gassing as a method of capture. Having consulted the Government Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down, he recorded that:
"the only likely chemical alternatives to cyanide are carbon monoxide and nerve gases. The latter, however, are too dangerous to handle, and the former is, weight for weight, significantly less toxic than cyanide, and therefore likely to prove less effective than cyanide in practice."He recommended that work be carried out to devise improvements in gassing procedures and this work concentrated on hydrogen cyanide. The Krebs Report points out that the subsequent investigation:
". . . cast doubt on the humaneness of this method of killing because research showed that badgers did not die immediately underground."The following pesticides are currently approved for the control of subterranean animals:
Cymag, containing sodium cyanide, which generates cyanide gas for rat and rabbit control; and Luxan Talunex, and Phostoxin, both of which contain aluminium phosphide and generate phosphine gas for the control of moles, rats and rabbits.
These pesticides are approved on the basis that they are safe, effective, and do not cause unnecessary pain and suffering to the target animal.
Friday, January 30, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
30 Jan 2004: Column 536W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has collated on the estimated badger population of mainland continental Europe. [150897]
Mr. Bradshaw: The most recent assessment of the status of the badger (Meles meles) in Europe was published in 1997 1 .
The quality of information available from each country varied considerably and as a result it was not possible to accurately estimate the Continent's total badger population. In an earlier publication 2 , the same authors estimated that the European badger population was at least 1,220,000. At that time the British population was thought to be 250,000, which is approximately 20 per cent. of all European badgers.
1 Source:The conservation and management of the European badger (Meles meles) (1997). Nature and Environment No. 90; by H. I. Griffiths and D. H. Thomas; Council of Europe Publishing (ISBN: 92–871–3447–2).
2 Source:The status of the badger Meles meles (L.,1758) (Carnivora, Mustelidae) in Europe (1993) by H. I. Griffiths and D. H. Thomas; Mammal Review; 23, 17–58.
30 Jan 2004: Column 536W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account is taken of routine sightings of badgers during daylight hours in calculating population size and density. [150945]
Mr. Bradshaw: Routine, or incidental, sightings are rarely suitable for estimating animal abundance, although such sightings can be useful for establishing the presence of a species in a locality—especially in the case of rare animals.
Badger sightings have been used to estimate densities, but only as part of planned surveys following a scientifically robust methodology (Heydon, M. J., Reynolds, J. C. and Short, M. J. (2000); Journal of Zoology; 251, 253–264). Furthermore, sighting-based surveys of badgers are carried out at night rather than during daylight hours, as this is when badgers are most likely to be observed above ground.
By far the most widely used method for estimating badger density is based on signs rather than sightings of badgers. During the national surveys carried out during the 1980s and 1990s badger numbers were extrapolated from the density of setts (taking account of their size and level of activity) and the average size of badger social groups.
Full details of the sett surveying methodology used in the last national badger survey are given in: "Changes in the British badger population, 1988 to 1997" by G. Wilson, S. Harris and G. McLaren (1997), published by the People's Trust for Endangered Species.
30 Jan 2004: Column 536W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the expected date is of completion of the project designed to assess the impact of removing badgers from the ecosystem; what the budgeted cost of the project is; from which institution the project is being managed; and who the lead scientist is. [150474]
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Bradshaw: The expected date for completion of the project is the end of March 2005. The budgeted overall cost of the project is £1.48 million. The project is being managed by the head of the team at the Woodchester Park site of the Central Science Laboratory.
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will seek from the European Commission permission to compensate farmers who have suffered consequential losses as a result of the suspension of badger culling in reactive areas in the randomised badger culling trials. [150496]
Mr. Bradshaw: I do not plan to seek permission from the European Commission to pay compensation for consequential losses due the cessation of culling in reactive areas of the randomised badger culling trial. The decision to suspend the reactive culling element of the trial was taken because the preliminary results indicated that this action would reduce the risk of TB breakdowns.
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will conduct investigations into whether perturbation in badger populations can be eliminated or substantially reduced by improved culling programme design and execution. [150499]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has funded research into perturbation of badger populations subject to culling. The results of the most recent work are yet to be published.
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish data on the prevalence of TB in badgers in areas of high incidence in cattle herds. [150500]
Mr. Bradshaw: Details of the incidence of TB in badgers captured during operations of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial will be published once the trial is finished, which is scheduled to be mid-2006.
These data will give an indication of the prevalence of TB in the badger population in trial areas; one of the criteria for the selection of these areas was that there was a high level of incidence of TB in cattle herds.
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs based on the findings from post mortem examinations of badgers and other data, what her best estimate is of the number of TB-infected badgers existing in England and Wales; and what the best estimate was for that figure in 1994. [150507]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is not possible to give an accurate figure for the number of TB-infected badgers existing in England and Wales because of the difficulty of estimating the size of the badger population and the reliability of the prevalence data available.
The prevalence of TB in MAFF-taken badgers collected in England and Wales each year from 1975 to 1996 is given in Appendix 10 of the Krebs Report (PB 3423).
30 Jan 2004: Column 538W
The prevalence of TB in Road Traffic Accident badgers collected in England and Wales each year from 1972 to 1996 is given in Appendix 11 of the Krebs Report (PB 3423).
A copy of the Krebs Report is available in the Library of the House.
Data on the incidence of TB in badgers collected under the present Road Traffic Accident survey and the Randomised Badger Culling Trial should yield more accurate information, but these data will remain confidential until the trial is finished, which is scheduled to be mid-2006.
30 Jan 2004: Column 538W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what level of TB in badgers is sufficient for the disease to be considered as epidemic in the population; and how in this context the term endemic differs from the term epidemic. [150508]
Mr. Bradshaw: Bovine TB is endemic in badgers in the UK; i.e. it is constantly present in badgers within this geographical area. An epidemic occurs where the occurrence of an infection increases clearly beyond normal expectancy. There is currently no evidence to suggest that levels of bovine TB in badgers have increased substantially in recent years.
30 Jan 2004: Column 538W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors increase the susceptibility of (a) badgers and (b) cattle to disease following exposure to M. bovis bacilli. [150513]
Mr. Bradshaw: Factors that increase the susceptibility of cattle to disease following exposure to M. bovis include general health, nutritional status and immunological capability. It is likely that similar factors are important in determining the susceptibility of badgers although no studies have been carried out on this particular subject.
30 Jan 2004: Column 538W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many badger setts that have been sticked have subsequently been found to have been recolonised; and what action is taken in the event that such recolonisation is observed. [150544]
Mr. Bradshaw: Sticking of a Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) sett is a method used to indicate whether the sett is in active use. The team carrying out the post-cull survey will note the sign and use this information to inform their report. It may be difficult to identify whether a sett has been recolonised or whether there are badgers remaining from the original colony which were not captured during the trapping operation.
RBCT design requires culling operations to be repeated annually in Proactive areas to maintain badger numbers as low as possible. During such operations, traps are placed on active setts on premises consenting to culling and additionally at locations indicating the movement of badgers from any adjoining non-consent land.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the Oxford University research on badger perturbation being carried out on behalf of her Department to be
30 Jan 2004: Column 539W
completed; when the report will be made available; who the lead scientist is; what the protocols are for this work; and what the budgeted cost is. [150546]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is expected that the Oxford University research on badger perturbation being carried out on behalf of the Department will be completed at the end of March 2004. It is likely that the final report will be available later this year. It is managed by a member of the university's Zoology Department. The project's protocol investigates whether the spatial and temporal scale of the perturbation processes, the pattern and speed of recolonisation and the relief of density-dependent inhibitions on reproduction and survival observed in the study area may be generalised. The budgeted overall cost for the project is £1.25 million.
30 Jan 2004: Column 539W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statutory measures exist for the licensing and authorisation of badger translocations; under what conditions licences or authorisations are issued; which Department is responsible for implementing their provisions; and what the nature and level of supervisions are over persons licensed or otherwise authorised to carry out translocations. [150581]
Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 6 January 2004, Official Report, column 249W, and 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1186W.
The specific conditions imposed on any licence are tailored to the particular circumstances of the operation to be undertaken.
Licences are issued by the appropriate statutory conservation agency or agricultural department (English Nature and Defra, respectively, in England) depending on the purpose of the proposed translocation. The licensing body is responsible for specifying the conditions and licensee is responsible for complying with them.
All licensed translocations are closely supervised by the issuing authority and by wildlife advisers with experience in licensed badger operations from the Department's National Wildlife Management Team.
30 Jan 2004: Column 539W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, columns 214–15W, on bovine TB, and 15 December 2003, Official Report, column 631W, on badgers, what plans she has to revise guidelines to farmers on the height, positioning and protection of feed and water troughs following the findings of the Central Veterinary Laboratory on the climbing capabilities of badgers. [150594]
Mr. Bradshaw: Recent research has demonstrated that in some circumstances badgers are capable of reaching cattle feed troughs set at least 80 cm above the ground.
There are no plans to change the existing height guidelines, as trough heights must be set so that the cattle intended to feed from them can still reach the contents. However, investigation into trough design to deter access by badgers is being carried out.
30 Jan 2004: Column 540W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 218W on bovine TB, how many countries use the current skin sensitivity test as the primary diagnostic tool for bovine TB; and how many have reported problems with this test. [150492]
Mr. Bradshaw: There are a number of different types of skin test in use around the world. We do not hold comprehensive information on the number of countries using each of these tests nor the way in which these tests are interpreted.
All countries that have either eradicated, or have a programme to control, bovine tuberculosis use one or more forms of the skin test. The Government have close links with a number of countries in various stages of eradication and exchanges information and experiences on the use of the tests in the context of these programmes.
The Government are not aware of any country that has replaced the skin test as the primary test for bovine tuberculosis.
30 Jan 2004: Column 540W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is possible to determine the relative culpability of an owner of a herd in which a TB breakdown is recorded as to why animals become infected. [150502]
Mr. Bradshaw: In some cases, a TB breakdown may be attributable to a specific event, for example the purchase of an infected animal. In many cases, despite a veterinary investigation, it is not possible to determine the source of the infection with certainty. Defra does not attempt to determine relative culpability but has encouraged all farmers to take sensible precautions to reduce the risk to their cattle through the issue of the yellow "Better biosecurity" card and various booklets which contain guidance on disease prevention and control measures.
30 Jan 2004: Column 540W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many deer have been subject to post mortem examinations by her Department for the presence of TB during the least five years; and how many were found to be infected; [150514]
(2) what historical data are held by her Department on the prevalence of bovine TB in the British deer population; and what those data indicate as to the incidence of bovine TB in that population; [150516]
(3) what her estimate is of the population of wild deer in England and Wales; what the estimated prevalence is of bovine TB in that population; and what concentrations there are of the disease in the wild population. [150515]
Mr. Bradshaw: No statutory body routinely collects information on overall wild deer numbers in England and Wales. Stephen Harris et al. (1995) estimated the pre-breeding population sizes for deer in Great Britain (Table 1).
30 Jan 2004 : Column 541W
Table 1: Population of wild deer in England and Wales (estimated)
Species England Wales
Red deer 12,500 <50
Fallow deer 95,000 <1,000
Roe deer 150,000 50
Sika deer 2,500 0
Muntjac deer 40,000 <250
Chinese water deer 650 0
Total 300,650 <1,350
Source:Harris, S., Morris P., Wray S. and Yalden D. 1995. "A Review of British Mammals: Population Estimates and Conservation Status of British Mammals Other than Cetaceans". JNCC, Peterborough.
Table 2 shows the number of wild and farmed deer carcasses, investigated for TB between 1992 and 2002 and the number of samples where Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) was found following bacteriological culture.
Table 2: Deer samples tested for bovine TB Total number of deer tissue submissions investigated by Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) Number of confirmed TB cases in wild deer Number of confirmed TB cases farmed/park deer Total number of deer confirmed with TB
1992 50 0 1 1
1993 33 1 0 1
1994 21 1 0 1
1995 (1)— 3 0 3
1996 (2)17 11 0 11
1997 11 3 0 3
1998 37 6 1 7
1999 49 7 3 10
2000 39 3 6 9
2001 28 0 1 1
2002 54 3 10 13
(1) Data not available.
(2) Most accurate data currently available.
Defra has funded a survey of wildlife in the south-west of England by the Central Science Laboratory. The first phase established whether Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis—the causative organism for bovine tuberculosis) was present in a number of wild mammal species, including deer. M. bovis has been confirmed in five of the six established wild and feral species of deer in GB. The second phase of the survey (due to end March 2004) is to estimate prevalence of M. bovis in those species where it is found, by carrying out a more targeted and extensive sampling.
30 Jan 2004: Column 541W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) pursuant to her Answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 218W, on bovine TB, whether the occasions of severe interference in the operational Krebs triplets areas represented a significant interference; whether that level of interference affected the conduct and outcome of the trials; and what the effects were of that interference in terms of (a) the outcomes and (b) the costs involved; [150565]
(2) how many farms were affected during the Krebs trials by a partial clearance of the badger population which was subsequently stopped; how many partial clearances were undertaken after a delayed start; and how the incomplete clearances affected (a) the conduct of the trials and (b) their outcome. [150575]
30 Jan 2004: Column 542W
Mr. Bradshaw: There has been a level of illegal activity and interference with the operation of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial which is certainly undesirable and could be considered significant. The cost of replacing stolen, lost and damaged traps is estimated to be approximately £400,000. Other costs relate chiefly to the loss of staff time, which cannot be provided at proportionate cost.
At the time of cessation of the reactive strategy one premises was in the process of being trapped and the operation was concluded with only half the number of trapping nights completed. A number of other operations have been stopped early for a variety of reasons, for example bad weather or activity by animal activists. If an operation is not able to start as scheduled, it is extended to ensure that the standard period of two weeks' trapping is maintained.
Standard Operating Procedures take account of the possibility of interruption to trapping operations. Although interference varied across trial areas, the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB found that the increase in the incidence of TB in reactive culling areas when compared with control (no culling) areas was consistent across all triplets.
30 Jan 2004: Column 542W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the percentage increase was in the number of TB reactor herds reported in 2003 compared with 2002; and what factors are believed to be responsible for this increase. [150576]
Mr. Bradshaw: In 2003, up to the end of November, there had been 2,880 new cattle herd TB incidents in Great Britain. In the same period in 2002, there were 3,035 new TB herd incidents reported.
It is difficult to draw comparison between 2002 and 2003, because the testing effort in 2002 was very much increased to clear the backlog of testing after the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001.
30 Jan 2004: Column 542W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herds required 60-day tuberculosis tests in 1988. [150586]
Mr. Bradshaw: In 1988, 351 herds required short-interval ('60-day') tests.
30 Jan 2004: Column 542W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated infective dose is of TB bacilli (var bovis) in respect of cattle, by reference to infection portals; what the peak load is of bacilli that can be excreted in the urine of infected badgers; and what the predicted die-off rate is of the TB bacilli on grassland. [150591]
Mr. Bradshaw: Determination of the minimum infectious dose of Mycobacterium bovis in cattle is part of the TB pathogenesis research programme. Early indications are that the minimum infectious dose for cattle via the respiratory tract is relatively small; the lowest infectious dose recorded so far is 70 colony forming units CFU, when introduced by the intracheal route or 9,600 CPU by the intranasal route.
30 Jan 2004: Column 543W
Relatively high levels of M. bovis in the urine of badgers with renal TB have been identified by culture methods, so far bacterial loads of up to 300,000 colony forming units per millilitre of urine have been measured.
It is known that the survival of M. bovis on pasture is widely variable depending on climate and pasture type. In hot dry weather survival may be a day or less whereas in cool damp weather M. bovis may survive for several months and in some circumstances in excess of six months.
30 Jan 2004: Column 543W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 216W, on bovine TB, what other rapid assay techniques are (a) available and (b) in the course of development which have the potential to speed up the detection of M. bovis in suspected TB lesions submitted for laboratory analysis. [150597]
Mr. Bradshaw: Several liquid culture methods are commercially available for the isolation of bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from clinical samples. These methods are mainly used in medical laboratories for the diagnosis of TB in humans. Although the liquid culture media can significantly shorten culture times, they have not been optimised for isolation of M. bovis. The growth requirements of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis are slightly different and culture media that work for one mycobacterium may not work so well for the other.
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) is evaluating the M. bovis recovery rates and ease of use of two of these liquid culture media compared with the traditional method used for cattle and badger tissues. Preliminary findings suggest that one of these systems might be adequate for rapid isolation of M. bovis from badger tissues. Additional experiments are under way to validate these findings and see if they can be extrapolated to cattle samples.
The VLA is also collaborating with the Imperial College in the design and optimisation of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of M. bovis DMA in suspect TB lesions.
Although this is a priority area of research for Defra, it is unlikely that any of the new laboratory tests being evaluated can totally replace the traditional culture technique.
30 Jan 2004: Column 543W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether persons wishing or authorised to undertake the relocation of badgers are required (a) to carry out tests on those animals and (b) to await the results of any such tests before setting them free in their new locations. [150609]
Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1186W. To briefly reiterate, all badgers relocated under the authority of a licence are tested three times for bovine tuberculosis and are only released if all three tests are negative. A similar approach is also applied to the relocation of rehabilitated badgers by animal hospitals, only in this case testing guidelines are not mandatory, but are set down in a voluntary code of practice.
30 Jan 2004: Column 544W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the conclusions were of Professor Solly Zuckerman's 1988 report to the Ministry of Agriculture; and what his recommendations were for future strategy to protect (a) badgers and (b) cattle. [150713]
Mr. Bradshaw: A copy of Professor Zuckerman's 1980 report, in which he describes in detail his conclusions and recommendations, is available in the House of Commons Library.
30 Jan 2004: Column 544W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the effects of the use of more discrete methods of badger culling on culling results. [150893]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is not possible to draw an accurate comparison between different methods of culling badgers because there are no reliable methods of estimating badger populations either before or after culling.
30 Jan 2004: Column 544W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage cull of badgers was originally proposed for the Krebs trials; how the culling was to be achieved; and in what ways the protocol was amended in the final version. [150895]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Krebs report advised that in reactive areas all badgers, including lactating sows, should be removed from all social groups with territories including the breakdown farm. In the proactive areas there should be total removal of complete badger social groups from localised areas at high risk of breakdown, before herd breakdowns occurred. It also recommended that the use of stop-snaring should be explored as an alternative to trapping, and that an expert group should be established to oversee the detailed experimental design and operation of the trial.
The group which was established, the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB, considered the possible use of snaring. It decided against this method of capture in favour of cage trapping and recorded the rationale for doing so in its first report (PB3881). That report also records its reasons for introducing a closed season for three months each year, when no trapping takes place.
30 Jan 2004: Column 544W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether any behavioural patterns have been observed in badgers showing signs of TB which predispose them to closer contact with cattle. [150944]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Central Science Laboratory has just finished a research project at Woodchester Park to investigate the behavioural consequences of bovine TB infection in badgers. The findings of this study will be published in the scientific press shortly.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has collated on the estimated badger population of mainland continental Europe. [150897]
Mr. Bradshaw: The most recent assessment of the status of the badger (Meles meles) in Europe was published in 1997 1 .
The quality of information available from each country varied considerably and as a result it was not possible to accurately estimate the Continent's total badger population. In an earlier publication 2 , the same authors estimated that the European badger population was at least 1,220,000. At that time the British population was thought to be 250,000, which is approximately 20 per cent. of all European badgers.
1 Source:The conservation and management of the European badger (Meles meles) (1997). Nature and Environment No. 90; by H. I. Griffiths and D. H. Thomas; Council of Europe Publishing (ISBN: 92–871–3447–2).
2 Source:The status of the badger Meles meles (L.,1758) (Carnivora, Mustelidae) in Europe (1993) by H. I. Griffiths and D. H. Thomas; Mammal Review; 23, 17–58.
30 Jan 2004: Column 536W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account is taken of routine sightings of badgers during daylight hours in calculating population size and density. [150945]
Mr. Bradshaw: Routine, or incidental, sightings are rarely suitable for estimating animal abundance, although such sightings can be useful for establishing the presence of a species in a locality—especially in the case of rare animals.
Badger sightings have been used to estimate densities, but only as part of planned surveys following a scientifically robust methodology (Heydon, M. J., Reynolds, J. C. and Short, M. J. (2000); Journal of Zoology; 251, 253–264). Furthermore, sighting-based surveys of badgers are carried out at night rather than during daylight hours, as this is when badgers are most likely to be observed above ground.
By far the most widely used method for estimating badger density is based on signs rather than sightings of badgers. During the national surveys carried out during the 1980s and 1990s badger numbers were extrapolated from the density of setts (taking account of their size and level of activity) and the average size of badger social groups.
Full details of the sett surveying methodology used in the last national badger survey are given in: "Changes in the British badger population, 1988 to 1997" by G. Wilson, S. Harris and G. McLaren (1997), published by the People's Trust for Endangered Species.
30 Jan 2004: Column 536W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the expected date is of completion of the project designed to assess the impact of removing badgers from the ecosystem; what the budgeted cost of the project is; from which institution the project is being managed; and who the lead scientist is. [150474]
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Bradshaw: The expected date for completion of the project is the end of March 2005. The budgeted overall cost of the project is £1.48 million. The project is being managed by the head of the team at the Woodchester Park site of the Central Science Laboratory.
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will seek from the European Commission permission to compensate farmers who have suffered consequential losses as a result of the suspension of badger culling in reactive areas in the randomised badger culling trials. [150496]
Mr. Bradshaw: I do not plan to seek permission from the European Commission to pay compensation for consequential losses due the cessation of culling in reactive areas of the randomised badger culling trial. The decision to suspend the reactive culling element of the trial was taken because the preliminary results indicated that this action would reduce the risk of TB breakdowns.
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will conduct investigations into whether perturbation in badger populations can be eliminated or substantially reduced by improved culling programme design and execution. [150499]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has funded research into perturbation of badger populations subject to culling. The results of the most recent work are yet to be published.
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish data on the prevalence of TB in badgers in areas of high incidence in cattle herds. [150500]
Mr. Bradshaw: Details of the incidence of TB in badgers captured during operations of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial will be published once the trial is finished, which is scheduled to be mid-2006.
These data will give an indication of the prevalence of TB in the badger population in trial areas; one of the criteria for the selection of these areas was that there was a high level of incidence of TB in cattle herds.
30 Jan 2004: Column 537W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs based on the findings from post mortem examinations of badgers and other data, what her best estimate is of the number of TB-infected badgers existing in England and Wales; and what the best estimate was for that figure in 1994. [150507]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is not possible to give an accurate figure for the number of TB-infected badgers existing in England and Wales because of the difficulty of estimating the size of the badger population and the reliability of the prevalence data available.
The prevalence of TB in MAFF-taken badgers collected in England and Wales each year from 1975 to 1996 is given in Appendix 10 of the Krebs Report (PB 3423).
30 Jan 2004: Column 538W
The prevalence of TB in Road Traffic Accident badgers collected in England and Wales each year from 1972 to 1996 is given in Appendix 11 of the Krebs Report (PB 3423).
A copy of the Krebs Report is available in the Library of the House.
Data on the incidence of TB in badgers collected under the present Road Traffic Accident survey and the Randomised Badger Culling Trial should yield more accurate information, but these data will remain confidential until the trial is finished, which is scheduled to be mid-2006.
30 Jan 2004: Column 538W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what level of TB in badgers is sufficient for the disease to be considered as epidemic in the population; and how in this context the term endemic differs from the term epidemic. [150508]
Mr. Bradshaw: Bovine TB is endemic in badgers in the UK; i.e. it is constantly present in badgers within this geographical area. An epidemic occurs where the occurrence of an infection increases clearly beyond normal expectancy. There is currently no evidence to suggest that levels of bovine TB in badgers have increased substantially in recent years.
30 Jan 2004: Column 538W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors increase the susceptibility of (a) badgers and (b) cattle to disease following exposure to M. bovis bacilli. [150513]
Mr. Bradshaw: Factors that increase the susceptibility of cattle to disease following exposure to M. bovis include general health, nutritional status and immunological capability. It is likely that similar factors are important in determining the susceptibility of badgers although no studies have been carried out on this particular subject.
30 Jan 2004: Column 538W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many badger setts that have been sticked have subsequently been found to have been recolonised; and what action is taken in the event that such recolonisation is observed. [150544]
Mr. Bradshaw: Sticking of a Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) sett is a method used to indicate whether the sett is in active use. The team carrying out the post-cull survey will note the sign and use this information to inform their report. It may be difficult to identify whether a sett has been recolonised or whether there are badgers remaining from the original colony which were not captured during the trapping operation.
RBCT design requires culling operations to be repeated annually in Proactive areas to maintain badger numbers as low as possible. During such operations, traps are placed on active setts on premises consenting to culling and additionally at locations indicating the movement of badgers from any adjoining non-consent land.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the Oxford University research on badger perturbation being carried out on behalf of her Department to be
30 Jan 2004: Column 539W
completed; when the report will be made available; who the lead scientist is; what the protocols are for this work; and what the budgeted cost is. [150546]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is expected that the Oxford University research on badger perturbation being carried out on behalf of the Department will be completed at the end of March 2004. It is likely that the final report will be available later this year. It is managed by a member of the university's Zoology Department. The project's protocol investigates whether the spatial and temporal scale of the perturbation processes, the pattern and speed of recolonisation and the relief of density-dependent inhibitions on reproduction and survival observed in the study area may be generalised. The budgeted overall cost for the project is £1.25 million.
30 Jan 2004: Column 539W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statutory measures exist for the licensing and authorisation of badger translocations; under what conditions licences or authorisations are issued; which Department is responsible for implementing their provisions; and what the nature and level of supervisions are over persons licensed or otherwise authorised to carry out translocations. [150581]
Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 6 January 2004, Official Report, column 249W, and 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1186W.
The specific conditions imposed on any licence are tailored to the particular circumstances of the operation to be undertaken.
Licences are issued by the appropriate statutory conservation agency or agricultural department (English Nature and Defra, respectively, in England) depending on the purpose of the proposed translocation. The licensing body is responsible for specifying the conditions and licensee is responsible for complying with them.
All licensed translocations are closely supervised by the issuing authority and by wildlife advisers with experience in licensed badger operations from the Department's National Wildlife Management Team.
30 Jan 2004: Column 539W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, columns 214–15W, on bovine TB, and 15 December 2003, Official Report, column 631W, on badgers, what plans she has to revise guidelines to farmers on the height, positioning and protection of feed and water troughs following the findings of the Central Veterinary Laboratory on the climbing capabilities of badgers. [150594]
Mr. Bradshaw: Recent research has demonstrated that in some circumstances badgers are capable of reaching cattle feed troughs set at least 80 cm above the ground.
There are no plans to change the existing height guidelines, as trough heights must be set so that the cattle intended to feed from them can still reach the contents. However, investigation into trough design to deter access by badgers is being carried out.
30 Jan 2004: Column 540W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 218W on bovine TB, how many countries use the current skin sensitivity test as the primary diagnostic tool for bovine TB; and how many have reported problems with this test. [150492]
Mr. Bradshaw: There are a number of different types of skin test in use around the world. We do not hold comprehensive information on the number of countries using each of these tests nor the way in which these tests are interpreted.
All countries that have either eradicated, or have a programme to control, bovine tuberculosis use one or more forms of the skin test. The Government have close links with a number of countries in various stages of eradication and exchanges information and experiences on the use of the tests in the context of these programmes.
The Government are not aware of any country that has replaced the skin test as the primary test for bovine tuberculosis.
30 Jan 2004: Column 540W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is possible to determine the relative culpability of an owner of a herd in which a TB breakdown is recorded as to why animals become infected. [150502]
Mr. Bradshaw: In some cases, a TB breakdown may be attributable to a specific event, for example the purchase of an infected animal. In many cases, despite a veterinary investigation, it is not possible to determine the source of the infection with certainty. Defra does not attempt to determine relative culpability but has encouraged all farmers to take sensible precautions to reduce the risk to their cattle through the issue of the yellow "Better biosecurity" card and various booklets which contain guidance on disease prevention and control measures.
30 Jan 2004: Column 540W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many deer have been subject to post mortem examinations by her Department for the presence of TB during the least five years; and how many were found to be infected; [150514]
(2) what historical data are held by her Department on the prevalence of bovine TB in the British deer population; and what those data indicate as to the incidence of bovine TB in that population; [150516]
(3) what her estimate is of the population of wild deer in England and Wales; what the estimated prevalence is of bovine TB in that population; and what concentrations there are of the disease in the wild population. [150515]
Mr. Bradshaw: No statutory body routinely collects information on overall wild deer numbers in England and Wales. Stephen Harris et al. (1995) estimated the pre-breeding population sizes for deer in Great Britain (Table 1).
30 Jan 2004 : Column 541W
Table 1: Population of wild deer in England and Wales (estimated)
Species England Wales
Red deer 12,500 <50
Fallow deer 95,000 <1,000
Roe deer 150,000 50
Sika deer 2,500 0
Muntjac deer 40,000 <250
Chinese water deer 650 0
Total 300,650 <1,350
Source:Harris, S., Morris P., Wray S. and Yalden D. 1995. "A Review of British Mammals: Population Estimates and Conservation Status of British Mammals Other than Cetaceans". JNCC, Peterborough.
Table 2 shows the number of wild and farmed deer carcasses, investigated for TB between 1992 and 2002 and the number of samples where Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) was found following bacteriological culture.
Table 2: Deer samples tested for bovine TB Total number of deer tissue submissions investigated by Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) Number of confirmed TB cases in wild deer Number of confirmed TB cases farmed/park deer Total number of deer confirmed with TB
1992 50 0 1 1
1993 33 1 0 1
1994 21 1 0 1
1995 (1)— 3 0 3
1996 (2)17 11 0 11
1997 11 3 0 3
1998 37 6 1 7
1999 49 7 3 10
2000 39 3 6 9
2001 28 0 1 1
2002 54 3 10 13
(1) Data not available.
(2) Most accurate data currently available.
Defra has funded a survey of wildlife in the south-west of England by the Central Science Laboratory. The first phase established whether Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis—the causative organism for bovine tuberculosis) was present in a number of wild mammal species, including deer. M. bovis has been confirmed in five of the six established wild and feral species of deer in GB. The second phase of the survey (due to end March 2004) is to estimate prevalence of M. bovis in those species where it is found, by carrying out a more targeted and extensive sampling.
30 Jan 2004: Column 541W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) pursuant to her Answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 218W, on bovine TB, whether the occasions of severe interference in the operational Krebs triplets areas represented a significant interference; whether that level of interference affected the conduct and outcome of the trials; and what the effects were of that interference in terms of (a) the outcomes and (b) the costs involved; [150565]
(2) how many farms were affected during the Krebs trials by a partial clearance of the badger population which was subsequently stopped; how many partial clearances were undertaken after a delayed start; and how the incomplete clearances affected (a) the conduct of the trials and (b) their outcome. [150575]
30 Jan 2004: Column 542W
Mr. Bradshaw: There has been a level of illegal activity and interference with the operation of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial which is certainly undesirable and could be considered significant. The cost of replacing stolen, lost and damaged traps is estimated to be approximately £400,000. Other costs relate chiefly to the loss of staff time, which cannot be provided at proportionate cost.
At the time of cessation of the reactive strategy one premises was in the process of being trapped and the operation was concluded with only half the number of trapping nights completed. A number of other operations have been stopped early for a variety of reasons, for example bad weather or activity by animal activists. If an operation is not able to start as scheduled, it is extended to ensure that the standard period of two weeks' trapping is maintained.
Standard Operating Procedures take account of the possibility of interruption to trapping operations. Although interference varied across trial areas, the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB found that the increase in the incidence of TB in reactive culling areas when compared with control (no culling) areas was consistent across all triplets.
30 Jan 2004: Column 542W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the percentage increase was in the number of TB reactor herds reported in 2003 compared with 2002; and what factors are believed to be responsible for this increase. [150576]
Mr. Bradshaw: In 2003, up to the end of November, there had been 2,880 new cattle herd TB incidents in Great Britain. In the same period in 2002, there were 3,035 new TB herd incidents reported.
It is difficult to draw comparison between 2002 and 2003, because the testing effort in 2002 was very much increased to clear the backlog of testing after the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001.
30 Jan 2004: Column 542W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herds required 60-day tuberculosis tests in 1988. [150586]
Mr. Bradshaw: In 1988, 351 herds required short-interval ('60-day') tests.
30 Jan 2004: Column 542W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated infective dose is of TB bacilli (var bovis) in respect of cattle, by reference to infection portals; what the peak load is of bacilli that can be excreted in the urine of infected badgers; and what the predicted die-off rate is of the TB bacilli on grassland. [150591]
Mr. Bradshaw: Determination of the minimum infectious dose of Mycobacterium bovis in cattle is part of the TB pathogenesis research programme. Early indications are that the minimum infectious dose for cattle via the respiratory tract is relatively small; the lowest infectious dose recorded so far is 70 colony forming units CFU, when introduced by the intracheal route or 9,600 CPU by the intranasal route.
30 Jan 2004: Column 543W
Relatively high levels of M. bovis in the urine of badgers with renal TB have been identified by culture methods, so far bacterial loads of up to 300,000 colony forming units per millilitre of urine have been measured.
It is known that the survival of M. bovis on pasture is widely variable depending on climate and pasture type. In hot dry weather survival may be a day or less whereas in cool damp weather M. bovis may survive for several months and in some circumstances in excess of six months.
30 Jan 2004: Column 543W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 216W, on bovine TB, what other rapid assay techniques are (a) available and (b) in the course of development which have the potential to speed up the detection of M. bovis in suspected TB lesions submitted for laboratory analysis. [150597]
Mr. Bradshaw: Several liquid culture methods are commercially available for the isolation of bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from clinical samples. These methods are mainly used in medical laboratories for the diagnosis of TB in humans. Although the liquid culture media can significantly shorten culture times, they have not been optimised for isolation of M. bovis. The growth requirements of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis are slightly different and culture media that work for one mycobacterium may not work so well for the other.
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) is evaluating the M. bovis recovery rates and ease of use of two of these liquid culture media compared with the traditional method used for cattle and badger tissues. Preliminary findings suggest that one of these systems might be adequate for rapid isolation of M. bovis from badger tissues. Additional experiments are under way to validate these findings and see if they can be extrapolated to cattle samples.
The VLA is also collaborating with the Imperial College in the design and optimisation of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of M. bovis DMA in suspect TB lesions.
Although this is a priority area of research for Defra, it is unlikely that any of the new laboratory tests being evaluated can totally replace the traditional culture technique.
30 Jan 2004: Column 543W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether persons wishing or authorised to undertake the relocation of badgers are required (a) to carry out tests on those animals and (b) to await the results of any such tests before setting them free in their new locations. [150609]
Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1186W. To briefly reiterate, all badgers relocated under the authority of a licence are tested three times for bovine tuberculosis and are only released if all three tests are negative. A similar approach is also applied to the relocation of rehabilitated badgers by animal hospitals, only in this case testing guidelines are not mandatory, but are set down in a voluntary code of practice.
30 Jan 2004: Column 544W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the conclusions were of Professor Solly Zuckerman's 1988 report to the Ministry of Agriculture; and what his recommendations were for future strategy to protect (a) badgers and (b) cattle. [150713]
Mr. Bradshaw: A copy of Professor Zuckerman's 1980 report, in which he describes in detail his conclusions and recommendations, is available in the House of Commons Library.
30 Jan 2004: Column 544W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the effects of the use of more discrete methods of badger culling on culling results. [150893]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is not possible to draw an accurate comparison between different methods of culling badgers because there are no reliable methods of estimating badger populations either before or after culling.
30 Jan 2004: Column 544W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage cull of badgers was originally proposed for the Krebs trials; how the culling was to be achieved; and in what ways the protocol was amended in the final version. [150895]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Krebs report advised that in reactive areas all badgers, including lactating sows, should be removed from all social groups with territories including the breakdown farm. In the proactive areas there should be total removal of complete badger social groups from localised areas at high risk of breakdown, before herd breakdowns occurred. It also recommended that the use of stop-snaring should be explored as an alternative to trapping, and that an expert group should be established to oversee the detailed experimental design and operation of the trial.
The group which was established, the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB, considered the possible use of snaring. It decided against this method of capture in favour of cage trapping and recorded the rationale for doing so in its first report (PB3881). That report also records its reasons for introducing a closed season for three months each year, when no trapping takes place.
30 Jan 2004: Column 544W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether any behavioural patterns have been observed in badgers showing signs of TB which predispose them to closer contact with cattle. [150944]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Central Science Laboratory has just finished a research project at Woodchester Park to investigate the behavioural consequences of bovine TB infection in badgers. The findings of this study will be published in the scientific press shortly.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
29 Jan 2004: Column 481W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2003, Official Report, column 1200W, how far in terms of linear distance badger culling extended from the buildings in reactive areas which housed cattle which were reported as TB reactors. [150489]
Mr. Bradshaw: Reactive culling attempted to remove badger social groups whose territories impinged on those parts of cattle premises where infected reactor cattle were housed or grazed, or from which their forage had been harvested. The extent of such removal operations varied depending on the outcome of badger activity surveys and local badger density. On average culling areas extended about 1 km around implicated land/buildings and was in the order of 5 km 2 .
29 Jan 2004: Column 481W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors determine the placing of badger traps in order to maximise the success of badger culling operations within the context of the Krebs trials; where traps have had to be repositioned to more discrete locations as a result of interference; whether that has required their positioning in sub-optimal locations; and what effect that has had on the conduct and the success of the culling operations. [150493]
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Bradshaw: Standard operating procedures for the Krebs Trial as ratified by the Independent Scientific Group advise on number and location for trap sites; saturation trapping on setts being the preferred procedure. Traps are located at other sites where consistent anti-Trial interference or denial of consent renders trapping at sites impossible. The impact of varying trap locations is unknown.
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the best estimate is of the additional cost to public funds of the (a) interference with and (b) theft of badger traps in the Krebs trials. [150494]
Mr. Bradshaw: Management records indicate that 6239 traps have been damaged during the Krebs Trial. A further 1926 have been recorded as stolen/lost, but a proportion of these have subsequently been recovered. The current replacement value of a badger trap is approximately £50.
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, on badgers, what measures can be taken to reduce the risk to badger cubs inhabiting the same sett as an infectious female suckling badger from infection from M. bovis bacilli. [150548]
Mr. Bradshaw: Practical measures that could be used to prevent the possibility of an infectious lactating female from infecting her cubs have not yet been identified.
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, what her estimate is of the typical proportion of badger faeces and urine deposited in latrines from a given social group; what proportion is distributed more generally over grassland; and what risk of M. bovis infection these deposits present to grazing cattle. [150550]
Mr. Bradshaw: Work carried out by Bristol University suggests that the proportion of faeces and urine deposited at latrines vary with badger density. The proportion of latrines located in different habitats is the subject of current research at the Central Science Laboratory, the results of which will be published in due course.
The majority of cattle actively avoid eating grass contaminated with badger faeces but tend not to select against grass contaminated with badger urine. Since most faeces tend to be deposited in latrines, which are often large and obvious, while urinations tend to trail onto pasture, infected badger urine at pasture might pose a greater transmission risk than infected faeces. However, there is likely to be some risk of onward transmission wherever either infectious faeces or urine are present on land grazed by cattle.
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 522W, on badgers, what evidence there is that viable M. bovis bacilli remaining in badger setts
29 Jan 2004: Column 483W
following the culling of infected denizens can transmit the disease to healthy badgers which subsequently colonise those setts. [150567]
Mr. Bradshaw: M. bovis survival is promoted by low levels of sunlight, low to moderate temperatures and high relative humidity. A typical badger sett experiences 100 per cent. relative humidity at all times of year, a fairly constant temperature, which is always higher than ambient temperature and almost total darkness. Hence, although no quantitative studies have been carried out, it seems possible that M. bovis bacilli could remain viable in badger setts long enough to infect badgers during recolonisation.
For comparison, M. bovis has survived in manure for up to two years when buried at 5 cm deep, and for one year when buried 1 cm deep. On pasture, M. bovis has survived for five to 11 months.
29 Jan 2004: Column 483W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the proportion of cubs born to infectious sow badgers which themselves go on to develop TB with the potential to spread to other animals; and what assessment she has made of whether this poses a significant threat to (a) other badgers and (b) cattle. [150578]
Mr. Bradshaw: Transmission of infection between infectious females and their offspring is thought to be an important process in the dynamics of TB in badger populations. The Central Science Laboratory's Woodchester Park study has shown that there is a significant statistical relationship between the number of infected cubs in a social group and the presence of an infectious female. However, no assessment has been made of the proportion of cubs born to infectious females which themselves go on to become infectious.
29 Jan 2004: Column 483W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 217W, what warnings were given by her officials to farmers who were asked to volunteer for participation in the Krebs trials about (a) the risks involved in participation and (b) the consequences of failure of all or any part of the trials. [150582]
Mr. Bradshaw: The signing up of landowners agreeing to voluntary participation in the trial was carried out according to a Standard Operation Procedure ratified by the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB. Information on the Government's TB strategy and on the Culling Trial in particular was available in the form of fact sheets, website pages and reports from the Krebs and Bourne Groups. The basis for the Randomised Badger Culling Trial was well documented and communicated to participants by trained staff at the time of their voluntary agreement. Questions that could not be answered at the time on the basis of the briefing available were responded to subsequently in writing or by telephone.
29 Jan 2004: Column 483W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in cases where badgers have been translocated from the Krebs areas, whether her Department was informed of such translocations; and whether landowners were informed. [150584]
29 Jan 2004: Column 484W
Mr. Bradshaw: We are unaware that any such translocations of badgers from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial areas have taken place.
29 Jan 2004: Column 484W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to standardise the collation of data on bovine TB in a format which allows for a comparison with the Office International des Epizootics figures for incidence of TB; what she estimates the costs of so doing would be; and what assessment she has made of the merits of so doing. [150510]
Mr. Bradshaw: Bovine TB is a regional problem with a higher incidence of disease in the South West of Great Britain and in Northern Ireland. Defra publishes the incidence of TB in Great Britain on a regional basis, to demonstrate the regional distribution of incidents. The OIE requires a composite annual report for the whole of the United Kingdom. The composite report indicates the average incidence of TB in the UK; but does not demonstrate the localised incidence within the regions. The composite report which is provided each year, as required for the OIE, is derived by amalgamating the
29 Jan 2004: Column 485W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, what the presumptive infective dose range of M. bovis is in respect of cattle; and whether some badgers suffering from bovine TB are capable of excreting sufficient numbers of M. bovis bacilli to constitute such an infective dose. [150526]
Mr. Bradshaw: Determination of the minimum infectious dose of Mycobacterium bovis in cattle is part of the TB pathogenesis research programme. Early indications are that the minimum infectious dose for cattle via the respiratory tract is relatively small; the lowest infectious dose recorded so far is 70 colony forming units (CPU) when introduced by the intracheal route or 9,600 CPU by the intranasal route.
Relatively high levels of M. bovis in the urine of badgers with renal TB have been identified. Bacterial loads of up to 300,000 CPU per millilitre of urine have been measured. This suggests that inhalation of as little as 0.03 ml of the urine could result in infection.
29 Jan 2004: Column 485W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 217W, what plans she has to extend the restrictions on the sale of milk from farms under TB restrictions. [150549]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
The new European Union consolidated Food Hygiene Regulation, which is expected to come into force in January 2006, will not permit the sale of milk from reactor animals for human consumption—including milk that has been heat treated.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2003, Official Report, column 1200W, how far in terms of linear distance badger culling extended from the buildings in reactive areas which housed cattle which were reported as TB reactors. [150489]
Mr. Bradshaw: Reactive culling attempted to remove badger social groups whose territories impinged on those parts of cattle premises where infected reactor cattle were housed or grazed, or from which their forage had been harvested. The extent of such removal operations varied depending on the outcome of badger activity surveys and local badger density. On average culling areas extended about 1 km around implicated land/buildings and was in the order of 5 km 2 .
29 Jan 2004: Column 481W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors determine the placing of badger traps in order to maximise the success of badger culling operations within the context of the Krebs trials; where traps have had to be repositioned to more discrete locations as a result of interference; whether that has required their positioning in sub-optimal locations; and what effect that has had on the conduct and the success of the culling operations. [150493]
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Bradshaw: Standard operating procedures for the Krebs Trial as ratified by the Independent Scientific Group advise on number and location for trap sites; saturation trapping on setts being the preferred procedure. Traps are located at other sites where consistent anti-Trial interference or denial of consent renders trapping at sites impossible. The impact of varying trap locations is unknown.
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the best estimate is of the additional cost to public funds of the (a) interference with and (b) theft of badger traps in the Krebs trials. [150494]
Mr. Bradshaw: Management records indicate that 6239 traps have been damaged during the Krebs Trial. A further 1926 have been recorded as stolen/lost, but a proportion of these have subsequently been recovered. The current replacement value of a badger trap is approximately £50.
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, on badgers, what measures can be taken to reduce the risk to badger cubs inhabiting the same sett as an infectious female suckling badger from infection from M. bovis bacilli. [150548]
Mr. Bradshaw: Practical measures that could be used to prevent the possibility of an infectious lactating female from infecting her cubs have not yet been identified.
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, what her estimate is of the typical proportion of badger faeces and urine deposited in latrines from a given social group; what proportion is distributed more generally over grassland; and what risk of M. bovis infection these deposits present to grazing cattle. [150550]
Mr. Bradshaw: Work carried out by Bristol University suggests that the proportion of faeces and urine deposited at latrines vary with badger density. The proportion of latrines located in different habitats is the subject of current research at the Central Science Laboratory, the results of which will be published in due course.
The majority of cattle actively avoid eating grass contaminated with badger faeces but tend not to select against grass contaminated with badger urine. Since most faeces tend to be deposited in latrines, which are often large and obvious, while urinations tend to trail onto pasture, infected badger urine at pasture might pose a greater transmission risk than infected faeces. However, there is likely to be some risk of onward transmission wherever either infectious faeces or urine are present on land grazed by cattle.
29 Jan 2004: Column 482W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 522W, on badgers, what evidence there is that viable M. bovis bacilli remaining in badger setts
29 Jan 2004: Column 483W
following the culling of infected denizens can transmit the disease to healthy badgers which subsequently colonise those setts. [150567]
Mr. Bradshaw: M. bovis survival is promoted by low levels of sunlight, low to moderate temperatures and high relative humidity. A typical badger sett experiences 100 per cent. relative humidity at all times of year, a fairly constant temperature, which is always higher than ambient temperature and almost total darkness. Hence, although no quantitative studies have been carried out, it seems possible that M. bovis bacilli could remain viable in badger setts long enough to infect badgers during recolonisation.
For comparison, M. bovis has survived in manure for up to two years when buried at 5 cm deep, and for one year when buried 1 cm deep. On pasture, M. bovis has survived for five to 11 months.
29 Jan 2004: Column 483W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the proportion of cubs born to infectious sow badgers which themselves go on to develop TB with the potential to spread to other animals; and what assessment she has made of whether this poses a significant threat to (a) other badgers and (b) cattle. [150578]
Mr. Bradshaw: Transmission of infection between infectious females and their offspring is thought to be an important process in the dynamics of TB in badger populations. The Central Science Laboratory's Woodchester Park study has shown that there is a significant statistical relationship between the number of infected cubs in a social group and the presence of an infectious female. However, no assessment has been made of the proportion of cubs born to infectious females which themselves go on to become infectious.
29 Jan 2004: Column 483W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 217W, what warnings were given by her officials to farmers who were asked to volunteer for participation in the Krebs trials about (a) the risks involved in participation and (b) the consequences of failure of all or any part of the trials. [150582]
Mr. Bradshaw: The signing up of landowners agreeing to voluntary participation in the trial was carried out according to a Standard Operation Procedure ratified by the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB. Information on the Government's TB strategy and on the Culling Trial in particular was available in the form of fact sheets, website pages and reports from the Krebs and Bourne Groups. The basis for the Randomised Badger Culling Trial was well documented and communicated to participants by trained staff at the time of their voluntary agreement. Questions that could not be answered at the time on the basis of the briefing available were responded to subsequently in writing or by telephone.
29 Jan 2004: Column 483W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in cases where badgers have been translocated from the Krebs areas, whether her Department was informed of such translocations; and whether landowners were informed. [150584]
29 Jan 2004: Column 484W
Mr. Bradshaw: We are unaware that any such translocations of badgers from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial areas have taken place.
29 Jan 2004: Column 484W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to standardise the collation of data on bovine TB in a format which allows for a comparison with the Office International des Epizootics figures for incidence of TB; what she estimates the costs of so doing would be; and what assessment she has made of the merits of so doing. [150510]
Mr. Bradshaw: Bovine TB is a regional problem with a higher incidence of disease in the South West of Great Britain and in Northern Ireland. Defra publishes the incidence of TB in Great Britain on a regional basis, to demonstrate the regional distribution of incidents. The OIE requires a composite annual report for the whole of the United Kingdom. The composite report indicates the average incidence of TB in the UK; but does not demonstrate the localised incidence within the regions. The composite report which is provided each year, as required for the OIE, is derived by amalgamating the
29 Jan 2004: Column 485W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, what the presumptive infective dose range of M. bovis is in respect of cattle; and whether some badgers suffering from bovine TB are capable of excreting sufficient numbers of M. bovis bacilli to constitute such an infective dose. [150526]
Mr. Bradshaw: Determination of the minimum infectious dose of Mycobacterium bovis in cattle is part of the TB pathogenesis research programme. Early indications are that the minimum infectious dose for cattle via the respiratory tract is relatively small; the lowest infectious dose recorded so far is 70 colony forming units (CPU) when introduced by the intracheal route or 9,600 CPU by the intranasal route.
Relatively high levels of M. bovis in the urine of badgers with renal TB have been identified. Bacterial loads of up to 300,000 CPU per millilitre of urine have been measured. This suggests that inhalation of as little as 0.03 ml of the urine could result in infection.
29 Jan 2004: Column 485W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 217W, what plans she has to extend the restrictions on the sale of milk from farms under TB restrictions. [150549]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
The new European Union consolidated Food Hygiene Regulation, which is expected to come into force in January 2006, will not permit the sale of milk from reactor animals for human consumption—including milk that has been heat treated.
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
Parliamentary Questions
28 Jan 2004: Column 378W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's statutory responsibilities are under the Animal Health Act 1981 in respect of the elimination of contiguous reservoirs of disease which have zoonotic and animal health implications. [150577]
Mr. Bradshaw: Under section 29 of the Animal Health Act 1981, the Secretary of State may, with a view to reducing the risk to human health of any disease of, or organism carried in, animals, make an Order designating any such disease or organism which, in her opinion, constitutes such a risk.
28 Jan 2004: Column 378W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the project designed to assess the impact of removing badgers from the ecosystem will also take into account (a) the impact of allowing unrestrained growth of the badger population and (b) the impact of controlled reductions in badger populations to various levels. [150473]
Mr. Bradshaw: Even where culling does not take place the local badger population is not undergoing 'unrestrained growth' as it will be subject to limits imposed by natural and human phenomena. The project designed to assess the impact of removing badgers from the ecosystem will assess the impact on other wildlife of
28 Jan 2004: Column 379W
controlled reductions in badger populations to various levels, in comparison with areas where badgers are not culled.
28 Jan 2004: Column 379W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she reconciled the inability to estimate the effect of alternative capture methods of badgers which would remove 100 per cent. of the population with the findings during the Thornbury trial. [150490]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Krebs Report referred to the difficulty of assessing the effect of different control strategies on the prevalence of TB in badgers and on herd breakdowns. The report says
"None of the control strategies have been assessed in a properly designed experiment to establish their efficacy." (Krebs Report pages 82–83).
A comparison of reactive culling areas of the Randomised Badger Culling trial (RBCT) and the Thornbury clearance area is not valid. Although indicative of the effect on cattle TB incidence that might be expected if a total badger clearance were achieved, the Thornbury badger removal was performed without contemporary control areas. This limits its usefulness as a basis for comparison with the impact of lesser percentage badger clearances achieved by other methods, since any change in the incidence of TB in cattle subsequent to culling could have resulted in whole or in part from some other cause.
28 Jan 2004: Column 379W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 211W, what conclusions she draws from the data on the location of TB lesions in badgers as to the main route of infection; and whether it is possible to draw similar conclusions in respect of the data available on the location of TB lesions in cattle. [150491]
Mr. Bradshaw: Infection with Mycobacterium bovis most often causes lesions in the respiratory tract and the associated lymph nodes, which suggests that the most common route of infection in badgers and cattle is by inhalation, or ingestion followed by inhalation. In badgers infection by inoculation through bite wounds also a relatively frequent route of infection.
28 Jan 2004: Column 379W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the scientific rationale was for the choice of the different distance parameters adopted for the culling zones of badgers in (a) the Gassing Strategy and (b) the Clean Ring Strategy, of the Krebs trials. [150509]
Mr. Bradshaw: For the gassing strategy: where TB infection was found in badgers, an area of up to one kilometre from the farm boundary was surveyed, to include the full territories of badgers on the infected farm. Social groupings were identified and all infected social groups, and groups in contact with them, were gassed. The area gassed was determined by the location of infected farms, infected badgers, sett groupings and natural boundaries. (Krebs Report 1997, page 142)
For the Clean Ring strategy: infected social groups, and those contiguous with them were culled. Culling, of social groups that were contiguous to groups found to be infected, continued until a clean ring of social groups
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
containing no infected animals was found and removed, or else there were no badgers found. (Krebs Report page 143)
The use of broadly circular treatment areas of 100 km2 for the Randomised Badger Culling Trial is explained on pages 8–9 of the first report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB and is based on the suggested use of 10km by 10km squares in the Krebs Report, pages 90–93.
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what distances can be travelled by adult badgers from their setts to their food sources; and what the radii were of the Krebs (a) reactive and (b) proactive areas. [150512]
Mr. Bradshaw: Adult badgers can travel between a few metres and a few kilometres from their setts to their food sources dependent on the quality of the habitat. None of the Krebs reactive and proactive areas are completely circular, so no exact radii can be evaluated. Trial areas are initially described using a 5.64 km radius circle but this shape is distorted by natural features and survey data to end up with areas of around 100 sq km. However, details of the total surface areas of the Krebs reactive and proactive areas are available on the Defra Internet site.
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 211W, on badgers, what proportion of badgers culled as part of TB control strategies conducted during 1979–97 tested positive for M. bovis; and what the percentage was in (a) 1975–82, (b) 1982–88 and (c) 1988–97. [150547]
Mr Bradshaw: The following table gives these data:
Period 1979–97 1975–82 1982–88 1988–97
Badgers culled 20,252 2,661 6,367 13,401
Badgers positive for M. bovis 3,985 283 966 3,118
Percentage 20.1 10.7 15.2 24.0
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 212W, what inferences can be drawn from the preponderance of TB lesions found in badgers on post mortem examination arising in the lymphatic nodes of head and chest as to (a) the portal of infection, (b) the possible routes of infection and (c) the risk presented by those badgers to other animals. [150564]
Mr. Bradshaw: Infection with Mycobacterium bovis frequently causes lesions in the respiratory tract and the associated lymph nodes of badgers, which suggests that a common route of infection is by inhalation, or ingestion followed by inhalation. Where there is infection of the respiratory tract, it is probable that there are phases of M. bovis excretion of infected saliva via the respiratory tract, which may contaminate pasture or animal feed containers.
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether material contaminated with the M. bovis bacilli deposited on grassland by badgers and subsequently entrained in hay
28 Jan 2004: Column 381W
used for the feeding of cattle is considered to present a significant risk of infection to (a) cattle, (b) farmers and (c) other persons who may handle this material. [150570]
Mr. Bradshaw: As the organism Mycobacterium bovis prefers damp mild conditions it is unlikely to survive the hay making process. We consider that there is no significant risk of infection to cattle, farmers or other persons who may handle hay.
28 Jan 2004: Column 381W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in how many Krebs reactive areas badger culling was commenced in May 2003; how many farms were involved in these areas; how many of those farms had had (a) one and (b) two 60-day tests after the clearance operations; and what the results were of those tests. [150579]
Mr. Bradshaw: The first reactive operation in Triplet I commenced in May 2003. Reactive operations in Triplets A, B and C had commenced prior to May 2003 and further operations occurred during May 2003 in these Triplets.
The number of infected cattle herds triggering reactive culling operations in May 2003 in Triplets I, A, B and C totalled 20. The number and testing details of premises over which these operations took place cannot be provided at proportionate cost.
28 Jan 2004: Column 381W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methods other than gassing are available for the culling of badgers; and what statutory restrictions apply to those alternatives. [150585]
Mr. Bradshaw: Gassing is not a legal method of killing badgers.
The badger is a fully protected species. It is an offence to kill (or attempt to kill) a badger by any method (Protection of Badgers Act 1992 s.1(1)).
Badgers are also listed under Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it a specific offence to poison badgers (including by gassing) (s.11(2)(a)).
A person guilty of these offences is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for up to six months and/or a fine of up to £5,000.
Where killing is carried out under a licence issued by Defra, the technique employed will depend on the particular circumstances of the individual case, but will normally involve cage trapping and humane dispatch by shooting.
28 Jan 2004: Column 381W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes there were in the protocol for badger trapping in the period 1975 to 1997; and what effect they had on the success rate of trapping operations. [150590]
Mr. Bradshaw: The key operational features of badger control strategies from 1975 to 1996 are set out in Appendix 3 to the Krebs Report. We have no validated data on the success rate of the various culling strategies.
28 Jan 2004: Column 382W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 212W, on badgers, what her best estimate is of the typical kill rates of badgers during the Krebs culling programmes; what the worst rates were; and what the impact was of low kill rates on the (a) conduct and (b) outcome of the trials. [150592]
Mr. Bradshaw: There is no precise way of measuring badger populations pre- and post-culling operations and estimates are made in the Randomised Badger Culling Trial based on field signs at a sample number of setts. Culling success is affected by a range of factors including levels of access, anti-trial activity and the time of the year, and where proactive culling in a triplet has been carried out at a sub-optimal time the next cull, where possible, is planned for more optimal periods.
28 Jan 2004: Column 382W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what precautions can be taken by farmers to guarantee freedom from TB in cattle bought into herds; and to what extent she advises that they can rely on a test or other certification attesting to freedom from TB infection. [150495]
Mr. Bradshaw: There can be no guarantee of remaining free of bovine TB. However farmers are encouraged to take all practical disease prevention measures to reduce the risk of disease introduction when bringing in new stock, including arranging a tuberculin test of purchased cattle before they are brought into to the resident herd.
The Department provides advice in the form of a freely available booklet "TB in Cattle—Reducing the Risk". A concise list of disease prevention measures which was developed with livestock industry representatives and vets, was sent to all livestock farmers in 2002; it can be found on the Defra website.
The comparative tuberculin skin test is used to certify that cattle herds are free from bovine tuberculosis, the comparative skin test at the standard interpretation, provides sensitivity in the range 68 per cent. to 95 per cent. and specificity in the range in the range 96 per cent. to 99 per cent.
Clearly a negative test result on individual animals brought into a herd will not guarantee their freedom from disease, although it will substantially reduce the risk. A recent clear herd test result for the herd of origin will reduce the risk that imported animals have been exposed to infection still further.
28 Jan 2004: Column 382W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the consultation on the new TB strategy will commence; and whether she expects that the detailed results and conclusions from the Krebs trials will be available prior to that consultation. [150497]
Mr. Bradshaw: We aim to publish a consultation document "Preparing for a new GB Strategy on bovine tuberculosis" in February. The document will represent the outcome of the first stage of the review announced by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at last year's NFU Annual General
28 Jan 2004 : Column 383W
Meeting. The consultation document will contain proposals for action in the short term including measures to prevent the geographical spread of the disease.
The Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB (ISG) anticipates that the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (or the 'Krebs Trial') operations will be complete by 2006. The ISG will report to Ministers thereafter.
28 Jan 2004: Column 383W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what has been the total expenditure by her Department on investigating the pathogenesis and epidemiology of Bovine TB since 1997; and what the planned expenditure is over the next five years. [150498]
Mr. Bradshaw: Total expenditure since 1997 on research projects investigating the pathogenesis and epidemiology of Bovine TB is £17.3 million. Research already commissioned for 2004–5 onwards totals £5.6 million and consultations for research requirements to start from the financial year 05–06 have been initiated. Epidemiology and pathogenesis will continue to be important parts of the bovine TB research programme.
28 Jan 2004: Column 383W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to compensate herd owners for uninsurable losses arising from the event of a TB herd breakdown. [150501]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government currently pays compensation to farmers for the market value of all cattle slaughtered under the TB control programme. There are no plans to compensate for consequential losses.
28 Jan 2004: Column 383W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what inference she has drawn from the number of slaughterhouse cases of bovine TB as to the efficacy of the TB surveillance programme. [150503]
Mr. Bradshaw: The examination of carcases in the slaughterhouse complements surveillance through the periodic testing of cattle. Identification of infected carcases in slaughterhouses does not necessarily reflect a failure of the tuberculin test to detect the infection: given that infected cattle can develop grossly visible lesions within a relatively short time after infection with Mycobacterium bovis, it would be expected that some animals will become infected and be presented for slaughter in the intervals between herd tests, which can last up to four years. In recent years, the proportion of TB incidents that are detected in the slaughterhouse is lower in parishes where herds are tested more frequently, in other words frequent tuberculin testing reduces the risk that diseased cattle are disclosed during slaughterhouse inspection.
28 Jan 2004: Column 383W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action is taken in respect of slaughterhouse cases of bovine TB to trace the animals back to the farm of origin; what proportion of these cases were traced back to source in the last five years; and how many herds identified as a result of such action were subsequently confirmed as TB breakdowns. [150504]
28 Jan 2004: Column 384W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has identified a statistically significant correlation between the distribution of TB infection in badgers and the distribution of TB in cattle. [150505]
Mr. Bradshaw: The report from the Independent Scientific Review Group, chaired by Sir John Krebs, which reported in 1997, concluded that there was "strong evidence for an association between TB in cattle and badgers". This relationship will be investigated further using data collected in the Randomised Badger Culling Trial, which is currently underway.
28 Jan 2004: Column 384W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where slaughterhouse cases of bovine TB are identified as having originated in animals which have transited through livestock markets immediately prior to despatch for slaughter; what measures are taken in those markets to contain the spread of disease; and what action is taken to trace possible contact animals consequently confirmed as TB breakdowns. [150506]
Mr. Bradshaw: The transmission of the causative organism, Mycobacterium bovis, between cattle requires in most cases for the animals to be in close proximity with each other. While there is a risk that the organism could be transmitted between cattle at a market, conditions are such that this is a relatively low risk. Thus tracings of cattle that have come into contact with infected animals do not take into account contacts that take place in markets.
28 Jan 2004: Column 384W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what herd TB breakdowns have been recorded in the last 10 years in areas (a) where there have been no badgers detected and (b) following complete clearance of badgers. [150511]
Mr. Bradshaw: There is insufficient reliable data on the extent and varying density of the badger population of Great Britain to identify, with any certainty, areas where there is an absence of badgers. No area, in the last 10 years, has been completely cleared of badgers.
28 Jan 2004: Column 384W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what causation models, or combinations thereof, are being used by her Department to determine the cause of bovine TB and
28 Jan 2004: Column 385W
mechanisms of transmission; what the specific criteria are which make up the models; and which criteria remain to be satisfied before a firm association can be made between the presence of infection in the badger population and the presence of the disease in cattle. [150517]
28 Jan 2004: Column 385W
Mr. Bradshaw: To help to determine the cause of bovine TB and mechanisms of transmission, the Department has investigated spatially explicit GIS-based stochastic simulation badger/TB models. The models are complex and are described in detail in a range of scientific publications available from the Central Science Laboratory. The Randomised Badger Culling Trial is seeking to address the question of the contribution of the presence of infection in badgers to the presence of the disease in cattle, and results will be available in due course.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with regard to the TB control operation in Thornbury, what the level was of cattle TB in the trial area prior to the removal of badgers; how many times, by what methods, and how thoroughly the removal was effected; whether these operations led to an elimination of badgers; how soon after the completion of operations badgers re-colonised the area; and at what level the re-colonisation was noted. [150572]
Mr. Bradshaw: The incidence of herds with visible lesion reactors in the Thornbury intervention area, prior to badger clearance starting, was 74 in 1,314 herd years or 5.6 per cent. No reliable record exists of the number of gassing operations, but the Zuckerman Report refers to gassing starting in December 1975 and continuing to August 1976. Many setts were re-colonised immediately and "a considerable amount of re-gassing was necessary". The gas used in Thornbury was hydrogen cyanide and the badger activity was reduced to a "low level by 1979–80" (Zuckerman Report). The badger population at Thornbury took about 10 years to recover once action to prevent re-colonisation ceased.
28 Jan 2004: Column 385W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with regard to the TB control operation in Thornbury, for how long after the completion of operations cattle remained clear of TB, as assessed by use of cattle tuberculin tests. [150573]
Mr. Bradshaw: No confirmed cases of tuberculosis in cattle in the area of the Thornbury operation were disclosed by the tuberculin test in the 10-year period following the cessation of gassing.
28 Jan 2004: Column 385W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 525W, when she expects to be able to release details of the content and funding of the future TB research programme, with specific reference to the funding of vaccine research. [150588]
Mr. Bradshaw: Future funding of the TB research programme, in common with all Government expenditure, will be considered as part of the 2004 Spending Review, which is under way and will be finalised later in the year.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Future TB research requirements, including those for vaccine research, will be announced in May or June with the publication of the Animal Health and Welfare Research Requirements Document (RRD). Details of bovine TB research work currently being funded by Defra can be found on the Defra website.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 216W, what criteria have to be satisfied by (a) farmers and (b) livestock hauliers in order to gain multiple pick-up approval; who is responsible for granting approval; and what costs are involved in granting approval. [150595]
Mr. Bradshaw: All multiple pick-ups and drop-offs must take place at premises that have prior approval from Defra to operate as a multiple pick-up/drop-off site. The conditions under which multiple pick-ups and drop-offs may take place are set out in Annex B of the General Licences for cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. These licences can be found on the Defra website.
Inspectors or local veterinary inspectors are at Defra's expense. An inspection is carried out to ensure that the requirements of the licences can be met. The inspection is carried out either by animal health officers, veterinary officers, temporary veterinary inspectors or local veterinary inspectors and is at Defra's expense.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further estimate she has made of the increase in bovine TB following the discontinuance of reactive culling. [150625]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISO) has indicated that it will continue to analyse data from the treatment areas randomised as reactive areas as part of its regular interim analyses. The next such analysis, using data to March 2004, is expected to take place in April.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 523W, on badgers, how many individual clearance operations in the Krebs areas were specifically related to individual farms; how many such operations covered more than one farm; and what difference there was in the TB incidence in cattle on farms which were part of an operation covering more than one farm as compared with those which were subject to an operation covering only one farm. [150775]
Mr. Bradshaw: Management records indicate that 78 reactive operations were carried out under the Randomised Badger Culling Trial and these involved 172 notified, infected premises. Of these operations, 37 related to a single infected premise. The extent of TB incidence was not a factor considered when grouping geographically proximal breakdown premises for reactive culling operations.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Department's responses to Professor Zuckerman's recommendations on protecting badgers and cattle from TB. [150858]
28 Jan 2004: Column 387W
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department's responses to Professor Zuckerman's recommendations are summarised in Appendix 1 of Professor Dunnet's report to the Department in 1986 entitled "Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis—Review of Policy". A copy of the report is available in the House of Commons Library.
28 Jan 2004: Column 387W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the (a) proactive and (b) reactive and (c) control areas of the Krebs trials underwent boundary changes after initial designation of the areas; and when these changes occurred. [150894]
Mr. Bradshaw: All trial areas were modified marginally to include or exclude whole farm premises following surveying and prior to initial proactive culling. On occasions, slight changes in treatment boundary have been agreed by the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB in response to changes observed in badger activity and social group organisation.
28 Jan 2004: Column 387W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department have established a field scale experiment to model postulated modes of transmission of bovine TB between badgers and cattle to test hypotheses relating to the spread mechanisms of the disease using live or attenuated TB bacilli, or indicator organisms which mimic the behaviour of the TB bacilli. [150943]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has not established a trial of this nature. Epidemiological surveys are being undertaken which will provide information on risk factors associated with the occurrence of disease outbreaks.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's statutory responsibilities are under the Animal Health Act 1981 in respect of the elimination of contiguous reservoirs of disease which have zoonotic and animal health implications. [150577]
Mr. Bradshaw: Under section 29 of the Animal Health Act 1981, the Secretary of State may, with a view to reducing the risk to human health of any disease of, or organism carried in, animals, make an Order designating any such disease or organism which, in her opinion, constitutes such a risk.
28 Jan 2004: Column 378W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the project designed to assess the impact of removing badgers from the ecosystem will also take into account (a) the impact of allowing unrestrained growth of the badger population and (b) the impact of controlled reductions in badger populations to various levels. [150473]
Mr. Bradshaw: Even where culling does not take place the local badger population is not undergoing 'unrestrained growth' as it will be subject to limits imposed by natural and human phenomena. The project designed to assess the impact of removing badgers from the ecosystem will assess the impact on other wildlife of
28 Jan 2004: Column 379W
controlled reductions in badger populations to various levels, in comparison with areas where badgers are not culled.
28 Jan 2004: Column 379W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she reconciled the inability to estimate the effect of alternative capture methods of badgers which would remove 100 per cent. of the population with the findings during the Thornbury trial. [150490]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Krebs Report referred to the difficulty of assessing the effect of different control strategies on the prevalence of TB in badgers and on herd breakdowns. The report says
"None of the control strategies have been assessed in a properly designed experiment to establish their efficacy." (Krebs Report pages 82–83).
A comparison of reactive culling areas of the Randomised Badger Culling trial (RBCT) and the Thornbury clearance area is not valid. Although indicative of the effect on cattle TB incidence that might be expected if a total badger clearance were achieved, the Thornbury badger removal was performed without contemporary control areas. This limits its usefulness as a basis for comparison with the impact of lesser percentage badger clearances achieved by other methods, since any change in the incidence of TB in cattle subsequent to culling could have resulted in whole or in part from some other cause.
28 Jan 2004: Column 379W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 211W, what conclusions she draws from the data on the location of TB lesions in badgers as to the main route of infection; and whether it is possible to draw similar conclusions in respect of the data available on the location of TB lesions in cattle. [150491]
Mr. Bradshaw: Infection with Mycobacterium bovis most often causes lesions in the respiratory tract and the associated lymph nodes, which suggests that the most common route of infection in badgers and cattle is by inhalation, or ingestion followed by inhalation. In badgers infection by inoculation through bite wounds also a relatively frequent route of infection.
28 Jan 2004: Column 379W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the scientific rationale was for the choice of the different distance parameters adopted for the culling zones of badgers in (a) the Gassing Strategy and (b) the Clean Ring Strategy, of the Krebs trials. [150509]
Mr. Bradshaw: For the gassing strategy: where TB infection was found in badgers, an area of up to one kilometre from the farm boundary was surveyed, to include the full territories of badgers on the infected farm. Social groupings were identified and all infected social groups, and groups in contact with them, were gassed. The area gassed was determined by the location of infected farms, infected badgers, sett groupings and natural boundaries. (Krebs Report 1997, page 142)
For the Clean Ring strategy: infected social groups, and those contiguous with them were culled. Culling, of social groups that were contiguous to groups found to be infected, continued until a clean ring of social groups
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
containing no infected animals was found and removed, or else there were no badgers found. (Krebs Report page 143)
The use of broadly circular treatment areas of 100 km2 for the Randomised Badger Culling Trial is explained on pages 8–9 of the first report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB and is based on the suggested use of 10km by 10km squares in the Krebs Report, pages 90–93.
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what distances can be travelled by adult badgers from their setts to their food sources; and what the radii were of the Krebs (a) reactive and (b) proactive areas. [150512]
Mr. Bradshaw: Adult badgers can travel between a few metres and a few kilometres from their setts to their food sources dependent on the quality of the habitat. None of the Krebs reactive and proactive areas are completely circular, so no exact radii can be evaluated. Trial areas are initially described using a 5.64 km radius circle but this shape is distorted by natural features and survey data to end up with areas of around 100 sq km. However, details of the total surface areas of the Krebs reactive and proactive areas are available on the Defra Internet site.
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 211W, on badgers, what proportion of badgers culled as part of TB control strategies conducted during 1979–97 tested positive for M. bovis; and what the percentage was in (a) 1975–82, (b) 1982–88 and (c) 1988–97. [150547]
Mr Bradshaw: The following table gives these data:
Period 1979–97 1975–82 1982–88 1988–97
Badgers culled 20,252 2,661 6,367 13,401
Badgers positive for M. bovis 3,985 283 966 3,118
Percentage 20.1 10.7 15.2 24.0
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 212W, what inferences can be drawn from the preponderance of TB lesions found in badgers on post mortem examination arising in the lymphatic nodes of head and chest as to (a) the portal of infection, (b) the possible routes of infection and (c) the risk presented by those badgers to other animals. [150564]
Mr. Bradshaw: Infection with Mycobacterium bovis frequently causes lesions in the respiratory tract and the associated lymph nodes of badgers, which suggests that a common route of infection is by inhalation, or ingestion followed by inhalation. Where there is infection of the respiratory tract, it is probable that there are phases of M. bovis excretion of infected saliva via the respiratory tract, which may contaminate pasture or animal feed containers.
28 Jan 2004: Column 380W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether material contaminated with the M. bovis bacilli deposited on grassland by badgers and subsequently entrained in hay
28 Jan 2004: Column 381W
used for the feeding of cattle is considered to present a significant risk of infection to (a) cattle, (b) farmers and (c) other persons who may handle this material. [150570]
Mr. Bradshaw: As the organism Mycobacterium bovis prefers damp mild conditions it is unlikely to survive the hay making process. We consider that there is no significant risk of infection to cattle, farmers or other persons who may handle hay.
28 Jan 2004: Column 381W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in how many Krebs reactive areas badger culling was commenced in May 2003; how many farms were involved in these areas; how many of those farms had had (a) one and (b) two 60-day tests after the clearance operations; and what the results were of those tests. [150579]
Mr. Bradshaw: The first reactive operation in Triplet I commenced in May 2003. Reactive operations in Triplets A, B and C had commenced prior to May 2003 and further operations occurred during May 2003 in these Triplets.
The number of infected cattle herds triggering reactive culling operations in May 2003 in Triplets I, A, B and C totalled 20. The number and testing details of premises over which these operations took place cannot be provided at proportionate cost.
28 Jan 2004: Column 381W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methods other than gassing are available for the culling of badgers; and what statutory restrictions apply to those alternatives. [150585]
Mr. Bradshaw: Gassing is not a legal method of killing badgers.
The badger is a fully protected species. It is an offence to kill (or attempt to kill) a badger by any method (Protection of Badgers Act 1992 s.1(1)).
Badgers are also listed under Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it a specific offence to poison badgers (including by gassing) (s.11(2)(a)).
A person guilty of these offences is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for up to six months and/or a fine of up to £5,000.
Where killing is carried out under a licence issued by Defra, the technique employed will depend on the particular circumstances of the individual case, but will normally involve cage trapping and humane dispatch by shooting.
28 Jan 2004: Column 381W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes there were in the protocol for badger trapping in the period 1975 to 1997; and what effect they had on the success rate of trapping operations. [150590]
Mr. Bradshaw: The key operational features of badger control strategies from 1975 to 1996 are set out in Appendix 3 to the Krebs Report. We have no validated data on the success rate of the various culling strategies.
28 Jan 2004: Column 382W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 212W, on badgers, what her best estimate is of the typical kill rates of badgers during the Krebs culling programmes; what the worst rates were; and what the impact was of low kill rates on the (a) conduct and (b) outcome of the trials. [150592]
Mr. Bradshaw: There is no precise way of measuring badger populations pre- and post-culling operations and estimates are made in the Randomised Badger Culling Trial based on field signs at a sample number of setts. Culling success is affected by a range of factors including levels of access, anti-trial activity and the time of the year, and where proactive culling in a triplet has been carried out at a sub-optimal time the next cull, where possible, is planned for more optimal periods.
28 Jan 2004: Column 382W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what precautions can be taken by farmers to guarantee freedom from TB in cattle bought into herds; and to what extent she advises that they can rely on a test or other certification attesting to freedom from TB infection. [150495]
Mr. Bradshaw: There can be no guarantee of remaining free of bovine TB. However farmers are encouraged to take all practical disease prevention measures to reduce the risk of disease introduction when bringing in new stock, including arranging a tuberculin test of purchased cattle before they are brought into to the resident herd.
The Department provides advice in the form of a freely available booklet "TB in Cattle—Reducing the Risk". A concise list of disease prevention measures which was developed with livestock industry representatives and vets, was sent to all livestock farmers in 2002; it can be found on the Defra website.
The comparative tuberculin skin test is used to certify that cattle herds are free from bovine tuberculosis, the comparative skin test at the standard interpretation, provides sensitivity in the range 68 per cent. to 95 per cent. and specificity in the range in the range 96 per cent. to 99 per cent.
Clearly a negative test result on individual animals brought into a herd will not guarantee their freedom from disease, although it will substantially reduce the risk. A recent clear herd test result for the herd of origin will reduce the risk that imported animals have been exposed to infection still further.
28 Jan 2004: Column 382W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the consultation on the new TB strategy will commence; and whether she expects that the detailed results and conclusions from the Krebs trials will be available prior to that consultation. [150497]
Mr. Bradshaw: We aim to publish a consultation document "Preparing for a new GB Strategy on bovine tuberculosis" in February. The document will represent the outcome of the first stage of the review announced by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at last year's NFU Annual General
28 Jan 2004 : Column 383W
Meeting. The consultation document will contain proposals for action in the short term including measures to prevent the geographical spread of the disease.
The Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB (ISG) anticipates that the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (or the 'Krebs Trial') operations will be complete by 2006. The ISG will report to Ministers thereafter.
28 Jan 2004: Column 383W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what has been the total expenditure by her Department on investigating the pathogenesis and epidemiology of Bovine TB since 1997; and what the planned expenditure is over the next five years. [150498]
Mr. Bradshaw: Total expenditure since 1997 on research projects investigating the pathogenesis and epidemiology of Bovine TB is £17.3 million. Research already commissioned for 2004–5 onwards totals £5.6 million and consultations for research requirements to start from the financial year 05–06 have been initiated. Epidemiology and pathogenesis will continue to be important parts of the bovine TB research programme.
28 Jan 2004: Column 383W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to compensate herd owners for uninsurable losses arising from the event of a TB herd breakdown. [150501]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government currently pays compensation to farmers for the market value of all cattle slaughtered under the TB control programme. There are no plans to compensate for consequential losses.
28 Jan 2004: Column 383W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what inference she has drawn from the number of slaughterhouse cases of bovine TB as to the efficacy of the TB surveillance programme. [150503]
Mr. Bradshaw: The examination of carcases in the slaughterhouse complements surveillance through the periodic testing of cattle. Identification of infected carcases in slaughterhouses does not necessarily reflect a failure of the tuberculin test to detect the infection: given that infected cattle can develop grossly visible lesions within a relatively short time after infection with Mycobacterium bovis, it would be expected that some animals will become infected and be presented for slaughter in the intervals between herd tests, which can last up to four years. In recent years, the proportion of TB incidents that are detected in the slaughterhouse is lower in parishes where herds are tested more frequently, in other words frequent tuberculin testing reduces the risk that diseased cattle are disclosed during slaughterhouse inspection.
28 Jan 2004: Column 383W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action is taken in respect of slaughterhouse cases of bovine TB to trace the animals back to the farm of origin; what proportion of these cases were traced back to source in the last five years; and how many herds identified as a result of such action were subsequently confirmed as TB breakdowns. [150504]
28 Jan 2004: Column 384W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has identified a statistically significant correlation between the distribution of TB infection in badgers and the distribution of TB in cattle. [150505]
Mr. Bradshaw: The report from the Independent Scientific Review Group, chaired by Sir John Krebs, which reported in 1997, concluded that there was "strong evidence for an association between TB in cattle and badgers". This relationship will be investigated further using data collected in the Randomised Badger Culling Trial, which is currently underway.
28 Jan 2004: Column 384W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where slaughterhouse cases of bovine TB are identified as having originated in animals which have transited through livestock markets immediately prior to despatch for slaughter; what measures are taken in those markets to contain the spread of disease; and what action is taken to trace possible contact animals consequently confirmed as TB breakdowns. [150506]
Mr. Bradshaw: The transmission of the causative organism, Mycobacterium bovis, between cattle requires in most cases for the animals to be in close proximity with each other. While there is a risk that the organism could be transmitted between cattle at a market, conditions are such that this is a relatively low risk. Thus tracings of cattle that have come into contact with infected animals do not take into account contacts that take place in markets.
28 Jan 2004: Column 384W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what herd TB breakdowns have been recorded in the last 10 years in areas (a) where there have been no badgers detected and (b) following complete clearance of badgers. [150511]
Mr. Bradshaw: There is insufficient reliable data on the extent and varying density of the badger population of Great Britain to identify, with any certainty, areas where there is an absence of badgers. No area, in the last 10 years, has been completely cleared of badgers.
28 Jan 2004: Column 384W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what causation models, or combinations thereof, are being used by her Department to determine the cause of bovine TB and
28 Jan 2004: Column 385W
mechanisms of transmission; what the specific criteria are which make up the models; and which criteria remain to be satisfied before a firm association can be made between the presence of infection in the badger population and the presence of the disease in cattle. [150517]
28 Jan 2004: Column 385W
Mr. Bradshaw: To help to determine the cause of bovine TB and mechanisms of transmission, the Department has investigated spatially explicit GIS-based stochastic simulation badger/TB models. The models are complex and are described in detail in a range of scientific publications available from the Central Science Laboratory. The Randomised Badger Culling Trial is seeking to address the question of the contribution of the presence of infection in badgers to the presence of the disease in cattle, and results will be available in due course.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with regard to the TB control operation in Thornbury, what the level was of cattle TB in the trial area prior to the removal of badgers; how many times, by what methods, and how thoroughly the removal was effected; whether these operations led to an elimination of badgers; how soon after the completion of operations badgers re-colonised the area; and at what level the re-colonisation was noted. [150572]
Mr. Bradshaw: The incidence of herds with visible lesion reactors in the Thornbury intervention area, prior to badger clearance starting, was 74 in 1,314 herd years or 5.6 per cent. No reliable record exists of the number of gassing operations, but the Zuckerman Report refers to gassing starting in December 1975 and continuing to August 1976. Many setts were re-colonised immediately and "a considerable amount of re-gassing was necessary". The gas used in Thornbury was hydrogen cyanide and the badger activity was reduced to a "low level by 1979–80" (Zuckerman Report). The badger population at Thornbury took about 10 years to recover once action to prevent re-colonisation ceased.
28 Jan 2004: Column 385W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with regard to the TB control operation in Thornbury, for how long after the completion of operations cattle remained clear of TB, as assessed by use of cattle tuberculin tests. [150573]
Mr. Bradshaw: No confirmed cases of tuberculosis in cattle in the area of the Thornbury operation were disclosed by the tuberculin test in the 10-year period following the cessation of gassing.
28 Jan 2004: Column 385W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 525W, when she expects to be able to release details of the content and funding of the future TB research programme, with specific reference to the funding of vaccine research. [150588]
Mr. Bradshaw: Future funding of the TB research programme, in common with all Government expenditure, will be considered as part of the 2004 Spending Review, which is under way and will be finalised later in the year.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Future TB research requirements, including those for vaccine research, will be announced in May or June with the publication of the Animal Health and Welfare Research Requirements Document (RRD). Details of bovine TB research work currently being funded by Defra can be found on the Defra website.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 216W, what criteria have to be satisfied by (a) farmers and (b) livestock hauliers in order to gain multiple pick-up approval; who is responsible for granting approval; and what costs are involved in granting approval. [150595]
Mr. Bradshaw: All multiple pick-ups and drop-offs must take place at premises that have prior approval from Defra to operate as a multiple pick-up/drop-off site. The conditions under which multiple pick-ups and drop-offs may take place are set out in Annex B of the General Licences for cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. These licences can be found on the Defra website.
Inspectors or local veterinary inspectors are at Defra's expense. An inspection is carried out to ensure that the requirements of the licences can be met. The inspection is carried out either by animal health officers, veterinary officers, temporary veterinary inspectors or local veterinary inspectors and is at Defra's expense.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further estimate she has made of the increase in bovine TB following the discontinuance of reactive culling. [150625]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISO) has indicated that it will continue to analyse data from the treatment areas randomised as reactive areas as part of its regular interim analyses. The next such analysis, using data to March 2004, is expected to take place in April.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 523W, on badgers, how many individual clearance operations in the Krebs areas were specifically related to individual farms; how many such operations covered more than one farm; and what difference there was in the TB incidence in cattle on farms which were part of an operation covering more than one farm as compared with those which were subject to an operation covering only one farm. [150775]
Mr. Bradshaw: Management records indicate that 78 reactive operations were carried out under the Randomised Badger Culling Trial and these involved 172 notified, infected premises. Of these operations, 37 related to a single infected premise. The extent of TB incidence was not a factor considered when grouping geographically proximal breakdown premises for reactive culling operations.
28 Jan 2004: Column 386W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Department's responses to Professor Zuckerman's recommendations on protecting badgers and cattle from TB. [150858]
28 Jan 2004: Column 387W
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department's responses to Professor Zuckerman's recommendations are summarised in Appendix 1 of Professor Dunnet's report to the Department in 1986 entitled "Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis—Review of Policy". A copy of the report is available in the House of Commons Library.
28 Jan 2004: Column 387W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the (a) proactive and (b) reactive and (c) control areas of the Krebs trials underwent boundary changes after initial designation of the areas; and when these changes occurred. [150894]
Mr. Bradshaw: All trial areas were modified marginally to include or exclude whole farm premises following surveying and prior to initial proactive culling. On occasions, slight changes in treatment boundary have been agreed by the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB in response to changes observed in badger activity and social group organisation.
28 Jan 2004: Column 387W
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department have established a field scale experiment to model postulated modes of transmission of bovine TB between badgers and cattle to test hypotheses relating to the spread mechanisms of the disease using live or attenuated TB bacilli, or indicator organisms which mimic the behaviour of the TB bacilli. [150943]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has not established a trial of this nature. Epidemiological surveys are being undertaken which will provide information on risk factors associated with the occurrence of disease outbreaks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)