Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 25 November 2013, Official Report, column 20W, on Bovine Tuberculosis, and to Answer 3 of his Department’s response to Freedom of Information request RFI 6487, Investigations into culling as an option, published on 7 May 2014, for what reasons the Answer to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion did not give information on the trials into using gas as a potential method for culling badgers which began in Summer 2013; on what date those trials commenced; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice

In August 2013, we commissioned new research into alternative methods of culling badgers.

The first step involved reviewing and updating the ‘Review of effectiveness, environmental impact, humaneness and feasibility of lethal methods for badger control’ published in 2005. The review was completed in September 2013.

In October and November 2013 we carried out initial trials of nitrogen-filled foam to analyse its dispersal in an artificial sett-like environment. These trials did not involve the use of active setts or tests on live animals.

Further research is now planned into the use of carbon monoxide as a potential sett-based means of humane culling.