Bovine TB 'plan B' will be needed says MP

As the consultation on the Government’s bovine TB strategy draws to a close, the head of the Liberal Democrats’ Rural Affairs Team, Andrew George MP will urge ministers to prepare a ’plan B’ to help tackle the still growing problem of herd breakdown.

Mr George – MP for West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives – supports the Government’s declared intention of adopting a science led approach to Bovine TB eradication, but is not convinced that the badger control strategy, as drawn-up, will be workable in many locations, if any at all.

Mr George said, "There are no easy solutions, I support the Government’s stated intention to get on top of this problem. I also agree that solutions must be rigorously evidence based.

"The available science does not hold out much hope for a badger control policy. Even if the policy does prove to be useful in some areas, they would be very few and would be very high risk.

"That’s why I hope Government Ministers will agree to work on a ’plan b’ to give farmers some hope in their areas where their favoured approach is not workable or could not be sustained over an extended area or period of years."