Bovine TB ‘Plan B’ will be needed – Andrew George MP

HOUSE OF COMMONS

As the consultation on the Government’s bovine TB strategy draws to a close, the head of the Liberal Democrats’ Rural Affairs Team, Andrew George MP will urge ministers to prepare a ‘plan B’ to help tackle the still growing problem of herd breakdown.

Mr George MP for West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives supports the Government’s declared intention of adopting a science led approach to Bovine TB eradication, but is not convinced that the badger control strategy, as drawn-up, will be workable in many locations, if any at all.

Mr George said, There are no easy solutions, I support the Government’s stated intention to get on top of this problem. I also agree that solutions must be rigorously evidence based.

The available science does not hold out much hope for a badger control policy. Even if the policy does prove to be useful in some areas, they would be very few and would be very high risk.

That’s why I hope Government Ministers will agree to work on a ‘plan b’ to give farmers some hope in their areas where their favoured approach is not workable or could not be sustained over an extended area or period of years.