Question to Caroline Spelman on Bovine TB

Yesterday in the Chamber I asked Caroline Spelman, Secretary of State for DEFRA, if the new provisions to tackle Bovine TB will be kept under review. Bovine TB is an issue that is devastating to so many of my constituents, and I welcome the moves to address the problem.

John Glen (Salisbury) (Con): The farmers of south Wiltshire and around Salisbury will warmly welcome today's announcements. Will the Secretary of State confirm that these new provisions will be kept under review to ensure that they are successful in tackling this terrible disease? If they are seen to be successful, will moves be made to extend them as soon as possible so that everyone can have the benefit of the trials?

Mrs Spelman: As I made clear, the two trials that will take place next year—probably at the start of the autumn—will cover a six-week period, after which we would expect the evaluation of those trials to take approximately another four weeks. The evaluation will be undertaken by an independent panel, the composition of which will be announced in the new year. Of course, we will keep that under very close review, as we will all the parts of our package of proposals to eradicate TB.

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