BADGER CULLING

That this House rejects the evidence-free call for a mass slaughter of badgers, in contradiction of the proof of a 10-year detailed scientific study and the assurance of Professor John Bourne that badger culling will have no impact on reducing the spread of bovine tuberculosis; notes that the virtual extermination of badgers in the Republic of Ireland has failed to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis, which is currently twice as high as in the UK; further notes that British areas where badgers have been culled show a four fold increase in cases; and believes that the £80 million paid to farmers in free insurance for cattle destroyed in 2006 should be phased out to encourage farmers to restrict non-essential animal movements, which are the principal cause of cattle infections.