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

To ask His Majesty's Government under what conditions badger culls would be extended beyond 2025; and what evidence would be required before a decision on extension is made.

Controlling TB in wildlife reservoirs, specifically badgers, makes up part of the package of measures of Defra's bovine TB eradication strategy, with the aim of achieving Officially TB Free status for England by 2038.

As part of the next phase of the strategy, HM Government will now evolve its approach and gradually move on from intensive badger culling over the next few years. Localised badger culling will remain an option where epidemiological assessment indicates that it is needed. The detailed proposal for epidemiologically led culling is currently under development.