Contact/Cyswllt:  Sian Cliff
02920 898342 / sian.cliff@wales.gov.uk

Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates today demands the Labour-Plaid Government act now to control and then eradicate TB in Wales as the Welsh Assembly Rural Development Sub Committee release their report and recommendations following their inquiry into bovine Tuberculosis.

Member of the Rural Development Sub-Committee, Mick Bates AM comments:

“As a farmer I know the heartbreak felt when an animal has to be put down due to disease. Bovine TB is causing our cattle to suffer and is having devastating effects on our farming industry in Wales. This in turn puts real pressure on our countryside and rural communities.

“The Committee report establishes a route to first control and then eradicate TB. I hope all stakeholders can see the logic in this approach.”

The Rural Development Sub Committee report recommends a number of measures including increased frequency of testing, improved biosecurity, increased advice and support for farmers as well as vaccine development and trials to be undertaken at UK level.

The report also recommends that the Welsh Assembly Government funds and establishes ‘Intensive Treatment Areas’ to be located ‘within a hotspot area in Wales that has experiences prolonged problems with TB.’ As part of the investigations it is recommended that ‘wildlife that carry and transmit TB found to show signs of the disease should be removed.’

“The current Welsh Assembly Government strategy for dealing with TB needs a dramatic change of approach” added Mick Bates.

“Research into vaccinations and boosting cattle immunity is essential but these approaches will not remove the current depth of infection in wildlife. A cull is the necessary step forward to address the situation now, before it causes further ruin for our farmers.

“In line with this cull there must be safeguards in place to reduce the risk of migration, such as the use of natural geographical boundaries. Furthermore such a scheme must only take place in areas where there is a high incidence of TB in cattle.

“I wish to see all key players including wildlife groups, badger groups, farmers and government officials retain an active partnership which will eradicate TB from our countryside so that cattle and wildlife will no longer need to be culled.

“The Committee report has been achieved by cross party consensus so our Labour-Plaid Government cannot hide from this disease any longer. I hope the Minister Elin Jones will give due consideration to the recommendations and will implement them as a matter of urgency, using the extra £27million allocated to TB in the budget.”



End / Diwedd



Notes:

• The report of the Rural Development Sub Committee can be viewed in full at http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-committees/bus-committees-third-assem/bus-committees-third-rd-home/bus-committees-third-rd-reports.htm
   

• Bovine Tuberculosis is a growing problem in Wales. In 1998 1046 cattle were slaughtered due to the disease with 312 herds restricted in their movements under TB control measures. This figure has risen dramatically to over 6,500 reactors slaughtered by the end of November 2007 and over 2,000 herds under movement restriction.
  
  Source: Defra TB statistics

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/stats/latest.htm
 

• Compensation payments by the Welsh Assembly Government have risen from £1 million in 1999/00 to over £11 million in 2006/07.