Tackle TB in wildlife say Tories

THE CONSERVATIVE shadow DEFRA team and 11 other Tory MPs are pushing for action on bovine TB.

They have filed an Early Day Motion in the Commons requesting the government takes action to tackle the uncontrolled spread of TB amongst the badger population in Great Britain.

Part of the EDM calls on the government to issue badger culling licences to farmers in the worst affected areas of the country.

Previously junior DEFRA minister, Ben Bradshaw, has stated that culling licences would not be issued until the Randomised Badger Culling Trials had been concluded – due in 2007.

The motion reads: “[That] this House wants to see healthy cattle alongside healthy wildlife but recognises that this is not possible when bovine TB is out of control in many parts of the country;

“[That this House] believes that further delay in action against bovine TB is unacceptable.

“That this House] notes the failure of the government to use existing powers within the Protection of Badgers Act 1992;

“And [That this House] calls on the government to issue culling licences in areas of severe infection where it can be shown that re-colonisation by uninfected badgers is possible.”

The motion makes further calls on the government to “continue development work for vaccines and to step up research into alternative methods of testing for TB in both cattle and badgers”.

Those MPs adding their names to the EDM are: James Paice; Oliver Letwin; Owen Paterson; Bill Wiggin; Peter Atkinson; John Randall; Tim Loughton; Robert Key; Nick Harvey; Derek Conway; James Gray; Gerald Howarth; Ann Winterton; Sir Nicholas Winterton; Peter Luff; Iris Robinson and Malcolm Moss.