“The Government’s announcement to halt its badger culling programme is a welcome step” said Anne Main after Owen Paterson shelved plans to roll out further culls this year. The St Albans MP has fiercely lobbied against measures to cull badgers as a way of controlling bovine TB and yesterday the Secretary of State set out the Government’s strategy to tackle the disease, which includes creating a ‘buffer zone’ of vaccination around hot-spot areas and investing £24.6 million in the development of effective TB vaccines for cattle and badgers.

The culls, however, will continue in the pilot areas with the prospect of further culls being rolled out when they have ‘perfected’ the method of killing in a humane and effective way. Anne said, ‘the minister appears to have bowed to the pressure, and I am pleased we have managed to at least curtail the pace at which the culls are rolled out. Whilst I still believe culling to be an ineffective way of tackling bovine TB, the pressure we have placed upon Mr Paterson has made the Government revaluate their policy.

“I welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to creating a buffer zone of vaccination and the continual pursuit of an effective cattle and badger vaccination. No doubt the damning IEP [Independent Expert Panel] report and hard lobbying have made Mr Paterson think again, but I will continue to oppose any future culls as I believe it is an inhumane and ineffectual way of tackling bovine TB.

“The report was clear: it is ‘extremely likely’ that Government missed its target on humanness; and on effectiveness the culls removed less than 24.8% of badgers in Somerset and less than 37.1% in Gloucestershire against its target of 70%.

“There was hope and encouragement offered yesterday by the minster, but I am clear, culling badgers cannot be part of the solution.”