Badgers

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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

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Dear Mr Morgan

Thank you for your email to Defra dated 30 May 2010 requesting information
on the position in Ayrshire on the culling of badgers. As this enquiry
relates to Scottish Government policy I have been asked to reply.

Scotland has in recent years been successful in controlling Bovine TB and
in September 2009 achieved tuberculosis free status. This was in
recognition of the low and stable incidence of TB seen in Scottish herds.
The vast majority of outbreaks that do occur in Scotland are attributable
to cattle being imported from high risk areas of England, Wales and
Ireland.

The current situation on wildlife control measures in Scotland, based on
veterinary advice is that wildlife does not represent a significant risk
in terms of the spread of bovine TB. Consequently we see no need to cull
wildlife, badgers in particular, as there is no evidence to suggest that
cattle are being infected from that source.

Yours sincerely

Angela McMorland

Angela McMorland
Policy Manager
Scottish Government
Rural & Environment Directorate
Animal Welfare & Endemic Disease Control
P Spur
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh, EH11 3XD
( - 0300 244 9805

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