To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the number of badgers culled each year since 1970 and the proportion culled each year which were found to be infected with bovine tuberculosis.
From 1971 to 1982, a total of 6,075 badgers were culled, of which 803–13–22 per cent.—were found to be infected with bovine tuberculosis. Annual figures are not available for those years.The annual figures for badgers culled and the percentage of those proven to be infected with bovine tuberculosis since 1983 are as follows:
| Number | Per cent | |
| 1983 | 1,239 | 12·43 |
| 1984 | 1,337 | 16·89 |
| 1985 | 1,115 | 13·36 |
| 1986 | 782 | 15·86 |
| 1987 | 711 | 12·94 |
| 1988 | 778 | 27·25 |
| 1989 | 727 | 16·78 |
| 1990 | 811 | 19·24 |
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the estimated percentages of cattle in Great Britain infected with bovine tuberculosis in each year since 1965.
The estimated percentage of the cattle population which reacted positively to the intradermal tuberculin test was as follows:
| Year | per cent. |
| 1965 | 0·029 |
| 1966 | 0·027 |
| 1967 | 0·025 |
| 1968 | 0·018 |
| 1969 | 0·020 |
| 1970 | 0·016 |
| 1971 | 0·014 |
| 1972 | 0·004 |
| 1973 | 0·011 |
| 1974 | 0·011 |
| 1975 | 0·011 |
| 1976 | 0·008 |
| 1977 | 0·005 |
| 1978 | 0·005 |
| 1979 | 0·005 |
| 1980 | 0·007 |
| 1981 | 0·007 |
| 1982 | 0·004 |
| 1983 | 0·005 |
| 1984 | 0·005 |
| 1985 | 0·005 |
| 1986 | 0·004 |
| 1987 | 0·007 |
| 1988 | 0·006 |
| 1989 | 0·008 |
| 1990 | 0·009 |
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether dairy and non-dairy cattle imported from Ireland are routinely tested for tuberculosis.
Yes. Council directive 64/432/EEC established the testing requirements for cattle traded within the Community.