Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Michael Jack (Conservative). It was answered on Thursday, 29 October 2009 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Question: Has the Secretary of State come to a conclusion about what he will do when the injectable vaccine is trialled and diseased animals are found? Will they be euthanased?

Answer: As I have indicated to the right hon. Gentleman previously, there is no simple cage-side test that can be used—[Interruption.] With respect, no test is reliable enough to indicate whether a badger is infected with tuberculosis. However, as I also said to him previously, if someone is of the view that an animal is in such distress that it would be a kindness to put it down, the law provides for that. However, that person would have to be satisfied that the animal was in such a condition.

Secondary information