Written question asked by Owen Paterson (Conservative) on Wednesday, 3 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 December 2003. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 December 2003 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how long a reactive culling area must be maintained for statistically valid data to be obtained from the trial in that area. - Inc figures.

Answer: Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long a reactive culling area must be maintained for statistically valid data to be obtained from the trial in that area. [142465] Mr. Bradshaw: As set out in the Second Report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISO), the design of the trial is based on accumulating a maximum of 50 triplet years of data to provide a probability exceeding 90 per cent. of detecting a 20 per cent. effect. The ISO committed itself at the outset, to carry out an initial analysis of the data once 100 new breakdowns had been accumulated in trial areas, and to repeat the analysis at six-month intervals.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 142465; 415 c524W
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Badgers Disease control Statistics Research Wildlife Bovine tuberculosis
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk