Bovine TB

Debate between Caroline Spelman and Paul Flynn

Wednesday 14th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Spelman]

I commiserate with my hon. Friend because his part of the country has been the most badly affected by this terrible disease. Natural England will carry out a survey of the badger population before any culling takes place and will also check that the percentage of badgers culled fits the criteria set out in the pilot.

[Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab)]

Should not the clarion call go out from this House today to all the right-thinking, compassionate people in this country to frustrate this cruel and unnecessary slaughter of animals? Is it not right that this has been founded on greed and bad science by the nasty party?

[Mrs Spelman]

I hope that an hon. Member is not calling on the public to break the law; that would be very unwise.

Bovine TB

Debate between Caroline Spelman and Paul Flynn

Tuesday 19th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Spelman]

I thank my hon. Friend. The figure of 37,000 cattle related to England and Wales and this programme applies to England only, but the most important point is about the spread of this disease. We have published a map to accompany this statement, and I encourage hon. Members on both sides of the House to look at it and see how this disease has spread from the late 1980s to the present day: it speaks for itself.

[Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab)]

Is not this big society, badger-slaughter spree a combination of bad science and animal cruelty by the nasty party?

[Mrs Spelman]

That was an emotive intervention without a critical question. This is a science-led, evidence-based policy for the eradication of TB.