Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination

Mr. Roger Williams
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects a bovine tuberculosis vaccine to be available for (a) badgers and (b) cattle.

Jane Kennedy
Badger vaccines are likely to be available sooner than cattle vaccines. The earliest projected date for the widespread use of Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) oral badger vaccine is 2014. Injectable BCG badger vaccines may be available by 2010.

The earliest projected date for the widespread use of a BCG cattle vaccine with a differential diagnostic test (DIVA) is mid to late-2015.