Follow up on request for finalisation of badger numbers and changes to policy

The request was partially successful.

Cristina Parker

Dear Natural England,

I am writing again to see if you now have the information previously requested on 6th June.

On 6th May 2014, following an FOI request regarding badgers in the pilot cull zones you replied that figures had not been finalised regarding population estimates and numbers to be culled in 2014.
and that therefore -information not held- applied.

1. Please now confirm specific population estimates for Somerset and Gloucestershire and how those numbers were derived.

2. Please confirm the target numbers to be culled in each area and what percentage that is of your estimated totals.

3. What steps have you taken to avoid badgers 'moving the
goalposts' regarding their population numbers?

4.What percentage of cage trapping will you allow under the terms of the licence, as the 10% allowed last year was clearly breached within the first couple of weeks of the 2013 cull.

5. If the intention is to allow mainly cage trapping in 2014,doesn't that negate the whole premise of the pilot cull, i.e to establish the effectiveness, humaneness and safety of free shooting badgers and therefore require a different licence altogether?

In addition to the above, the IEP report made it clear that the standard of shooting was poor.

6. What additional training will be given to the cullers in order to comply with best practice guidelines?

7. Are you accepting a new target area of head and neck as decided unilaterally by the NFU?

7. If so, will best practice guidelines be updated to take this new target area into account and will 'heart and lungs' be excluded in view of the increased danger of smashed limbs and subsequent prolonged suffering.

Yours faithfully,

Cristina Parker

FOI (NE), Natural England

Dear Cristina Parker

Access to information request – Acknowledgement – Request No RFI 2545

Thank you for your request for information below, which we received on 6 July 2014. We are dealing with your request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

Your request is being considered and we will send out our response within the legal deadline of 20 working days which is 5 August 2014, for any reason, we are unable to meet the deadline we will keep you fully informed of the reasons for this.

Yours sincerely

Kate Donovan
Adviser - Access to Information Unit
Customer Services Team

Natural England
Email: [Natural England request email]

www.naturalengland.org.uk

We are here to secure a healthy environment for people to enjoy, where wildlife is protected and England's traditional landscapes are safeguarded for future generations.

In an effort to reduce Natural England's carbon footprint, I will, wherever possible, avoid travelling to meetings and attend via audio, video or web conferencing.

Natural England is accredited to the Cabinet Office Customer Service Excellence Standard

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BTB (NE), Natural England

3 Attachments

Dear Ms Parker,

 Please find attached our response to your Request For Information (RFI)
2545.

<<20140714- RFI 2545 - POPULATAION AND IEP - RESPONSE.pdf>>

Kind Regards,

[1]Picture (Device Independent Bitmap)

Bovine TB Licensing Unit

Natural England, BM 6283,

London, WC1N 3XX

Tel: 0300 060 0550 - lines are open during office hours

Email: [2][email address]

[3]www.naturalengland.org.uk/

We are here to secure a healthy natural environment for people to enjoy,
where wildlife is protected and England's traditional landscapes are
safeguarded for future generations.

In an effort to reduce Natural England's carbon footprint, I will,
wherever possible, avoid travelling to meetings and attend via audio,
video or web conferencing.

Natural England is accredited to the Cabinet Office Customer Service
Excellence Standard

References

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3. http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/