Badger protection

That this House notes that cattle to cattle transmission is the main cause of the spread of bovine tuberculosis (TB); considers that culling badgers to eradicate bovine TB is unscientific, ineffective and unnecessary; is concerned that 51% of the badger population estimate in 2013 have been culled since then and that the Government’s TB Eradication Strategy allows the continued killing of badgers, a protected species, until the end of this Parliament; is further concerned by proposals in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to undermine the Badger Protection Act 1992; supports evidence-based policy making to eradicate bovine TB that will benefit farmers and their cattle, while avoiding the devastation and costs to the public purse associated with the mass slaughter of our wildlife; and therefore calls on the Government to stop the persecution of badgers, withdraw plans to weaken the legal protection currently given to badgers, and to immediately end its policy of badger culling, in favour of cattle and badger vaccination, improved testing and strengthened biosecurity.