Bovine Tuberculosis

Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior Excerpts
Tuesday 26th November 2013

(10 years, 12 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord De Mauley Portrait Lord De Mauley
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The noble Countess makes an extremely good point, and I cannot disagree with what she says.

Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior Portrait Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior (Con)
- Hansard - -

My Lords, artificial insemination has been a practice in this country in dairy cattle for more than 30 years, and I wonder where this suggestion has come from. There is very little evidence—no evidence whatever to my mind—that AI can result in the transmission of TB to cattle. I hope that the Minister will scotch that idea, because we have an amazing health record in this country for AI and tuberculosis control.

Lord De Mauley Portrait Lord De Mauley
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am most grateful to my noble friend because he enables me to say, perhaps more categorically than I said to start with, that research indicates that there is no link between TB susceptibility and milk production traits.