Today the Government published a written statement to update Parliament on their policy to eradicate Bovine TB and announce the end of the badger cull pilots.

This follows the positive news last week that tougher cattle movement controls will be introduced to minimise cattle to cattle transmissions of the disease.

The statement announces the early end of the 8 week extension to the badger pilot cull in Gloucestershire. In the additional five weeks and three days of culling, 213 badgers were killed, giving an overall total of 921. This means only 40% were culled during the operation, which ended on Saturday. The target was 70%.

A similar cull pilot in Somerset ended last month after it also failed to meet its target even after a three-week extension. In that area there was an estimated 65% reduction in the badger population – the target was also 70%.

The pilot culls were to test whether controlled shooting is a safe, humane and effective means of reducing the badger numbers. The information collected in now being considered by an independent panel of experts and will be published to Parliament and the public in due course.

Tracey is still campaigning to see the cancellation of the 4 year cull anticipated due to its ineffective and inhumane nature. Scientific evidence suggests that the cull will not be effective in helping to eradicate TB in the badger population. Whilst Tracey supports the multi-pronged approach of the Government and understands that there is no simple cure, she continues to urge the Government to invest in a vaccine. A vaccination would be far more efficient and would have positive side effects, rather than the negative ones we see from culling, on the spread of the disease.

Please see both statements and Tracey’s previous contributions in the House of Commons on this issue attached below for further information.