|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bovine TB - 16 May 2002 Mr. David Curry (Skipton and Ripon): The number of cows affected by bovine TB is now a multiple of those affected by BSE. What will happen if the present rate of increase continues, so that the timetable set out in the Krebs research is overtaken by the pace of the disease? The Secretary of State mentioned finding out "once and for all" whether there is a link between badgers and bovine TB. What will happen if, as is entirely possible, we do not get such an outcome once and for all? In that unfortunate eventuality, at what stage would the Government start to draw up an alternative approach? Margaret Beckett: Let me begin where the right hon. Gentleman ended. I did say that we were looking at other issues—not just at the badger trial, but at cattle-to-cattle transmission and so forth. The right hon. Gentleman mentioned the greater incidence of TB. I think he must have been referring to the results of the recent testing. The programme was of course suspended during the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. Although we are paying close attention to what is happening, it is a little early to conclude that some major unforeseen development is in progress. I hope the House will accept that it was sensible for the Department
to act as it did. Once the testing programme was able to resume, the Department
naturally began with the areas where the highest incidence was anticipated.
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
David Curry MP | House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA | tel: 020 7219 6202 |
||||||||||||||||||
