Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 7 October 2019 Question 290620 on Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control, whether she has made an assessment of the potential effect on research outcomes of the culling of animals that are part of that research programme.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency’s ongoing study of the wild badger population at Woodchester Park can adapt to assess any new impacts on the badger population, including from licensed badger culling taking place across Gloucestershire, which is in the Bovine TB High Risk Area of England. Woodchester Park’s work will continue to support policy and research in line with our TB strategy’s adaptive and evidence-based approach.