PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
BADGER CULLING (30 March 1998)

That this House notes with dismay the Government's intention to kill tens of thousands of badgers over the next five years in an experimental attempt to reduce the bovine tuberculosis, despite the fact that over 25,000 badgers have been killed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the past 23 years and the incidence of tuberculosis in British cattle is increasing; believes that badger culling has shown no demonstrable benefits to the farming community; asserts that widespread extermination of badgers over large parts of Britain, the majority of which will not be infected with tuberculosis, would be an inappropriate response to the problem; is further concerned at the animal welfare implications of the Government's plan to kill lactating sows, leading to thestarvation of badger cubs underground; notes the intention to use snares to trap badgers as well as non-target species such as deer, foxes and domestic pets such as cats and dogs; calls for the main thrust of Government policy to be directed towards funding research into cattle husbandry and developing a vaccine for cattle and badgers, research into the transmission of the disease and the development of a more sensitive test for tuberculosis in cattle; and further calls for a halt to current badger culling and for the badger experiment not to be implemented.

Sponsored by:
Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat)