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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how long after the start of the badger culls in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) Somerset cage trapping was adopted as a method of culling.

Both cage trapping and dispatch and controlled shooting are available control methods in each licensed area. As was the case last year, both were available for use throughout the 6-week duration of this year’s culls.