Welsh Liberal Democrat AM welcomes decision on bovine TB

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has welcomed the decision by Environment Minister. John Griffiths to abandon the previous Government’s cull of badgers in north Pembrokeshire and parts of Ceredigion and pursue a vaccination programme instead.

“This decision is very much in line with the available scientific evidence, including the peer-reviewed paper prepared by the Independent Science Group (ISG) on the results of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial that was released in July 2010,” said Mr. Black.

That paper concluded that “reductions in cattle TB incidence achieved by repeated badger culling were not sustained in the long term after culling ended and did not offset the financial costs of culling. These results, combined with evaluation of alternative culling methods, suggest that badger culling is unlikely to contribute effectively to the control of cattle TB in Britain."

“Given the divisions and acrimony generated by the previous cull decision and the legal problems associated with this course of action, a vaccination programme was the best way forward as part of efforts to control this disease. Not only is it scientifically sound but it also prevents the unnecessary slaughter of badgers, which are a protected species.”

“At last we are getting a commonsense approach to this problem.”