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Written question asked by Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 17 April 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 23 April 2025. It was answered by Daniel Zeichner (Labour) on Monday, 28 April 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Exmoor

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the spread of tuberculosis in cattle on Exmoor.

Answer

Our Bovine TB Strategy is underpinned by robust routine and targeted testing of all cattle herds in England, restricting cattle movements from infected premises and detecting and removing all test positive cattle. This strategy is enhanced by statutory pre-and post-movement testing of cattle and slaughterhouse surveillance.

APHA produce regular analysis of the results of bovine TB epidemiology and surveillance in Great Britain in 2023, including those counties in the High Risk, Edge and Low Risk Area of England. This includes Devon and Somerset, in which Exmoor is located: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-epidemiology-and-surveillance-in-great-britain-2023

We have started work on a comprehensive new bovine TB eradication strategy to drive down TB rates to improve cattle and farmers’ livelihoods and to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament. Working closely alongside farmers, vets, scientists and conservationists to rapidly strengthen and deploy a range of disease control measures, we have also begun developing a new national wildlife surveillance programme. This will unlock a data-driven approach to inform how and where TB vaccines and other eradication measures are deployed.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
46486
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Bovine tuberculosis Exmoor
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk