I have been contacted by a number of constituents about my views on badger culling and the morality surrounding this issue, my views are as follows:
I accept that the badger cull initiative has not been as successful as we hoped it might be and thus a change in policy is now necessary. Personally, I feel a large scale vaccination programme would be the most humane and effective way of dealing with the Bovine TB problem we face.
I fully support the Government’s commitment for England to be TB free by 2038 and I feel that extending the new Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, which already works in other parts of the country, to the high risk regions of the South West and the West Midlands would be a sensible measure in delivering this aim. Vaccinations are also a far more cost effective way of dealing with this issue compared to culling which has cost a lot but has delivered little.
There was a debate in the house on Wednesday the 7th of September but regrettably I was unable to attend due to other Parliamentary commitments. However, despite not attending the debate, I have made my views known to the new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Andrea Leadsom. If any subsequent debates take place I will endeavour to be there and make my voice heard as it is an issue I feel strongly about.