Vol. 429 No. 4
72 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he proposes to terminate the practice of badger culling in the context of the Bovine TB eradication programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under the bovine TB programme badgers are removed solely in the context of research into the transmission of bovine TB, in accordance with licences issued and controlled by the Wildlife Service of the Office of Public Works. The number of badgers removed from the population is minimal. Also, road casualty badgers are fully utilised as research material.
Given the overriding requirement to reduce the incidence of bovine TB, a thorough analysis of all the factors involved in disease transmission is a key element of the programme.
