Written question asked by Baroness Byford (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Wednesday, 28 November 2007.

Agriculture: Bovine TB

Question: Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mr Jonathan Shaw, on 18 October (Official Report, Commons, col. 1190W), why the final report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB has not been peer reviewed.

Answer: As stated in my honourable friend’s Answer (Official Report, Commons, col. 1190W), while the final report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) in its entirety has not been peer reviewed, most of the substance of the report and its scientific findings underwent peer review prior to publication in scientific journals. It is not usual to subject material to additional peer review. However, my Defra ministerial colleagues and I asked the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government, Sir David King, for an assessment of the scientific evidence in the ISG report and elsewhere that needs to be taken into account in reaching future policy decisions on bovine TB. Sir David’s assessment was published as evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee on 22 October 2007. I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library of the House; it is also available on the Defra website.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 696 c117WA; 429
Session: 2007-08
Related items: Deposited Paper DEP2007-0181
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Deposited papers
House of Lords; Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Disease control Cattle TB Independent Scientific Group Research Bovine tuberculosis
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk