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Written question asked by Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 8 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 11 June 2026 (named day). It was answered by Stephen Morgan (Labour) on Monday, 15 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Testing

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will review the definitions of Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF), Officially Tuberculosis Free Withdrawn (OTFW) and Officially Tuberculosis Free Suspended (OTFS) herd status to permit continuous testing using additional tests to the Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Tuberculin Test (SICCT) and Interferon Gamma Test in high-risk herds, including those that have recently regained OTF status, without affecting that status.

Answer

There are no plans to review the definitions of Officially TB Free (OTF), Officially Tuberculosis Free Withdrawn (OTFW) and Officially Tuberculosis Free Suspended (OTFS) status of bovine herds in England.

The recently published recommended Bovine TB Control Strategy for England (https://tbhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Recommended-Bovine-TB-Strategy.pdf) proposes facilitating access to privately-funded ancillary bovine TB testing to support earlier detection of infected cattle and disease management, including those herds that have regained (or are eligible to regain) OTF status after a bovine TB breakdown.

Government will now consider the recommendations in the proposed Strategy, including on testing.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
7689
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Testing Bovine tuberculosis
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk