Written question WQ100679
- Asked by
- Tom MontgomeryReform
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 12 days
Question
Further to WQ99915, will the Cabinet Minister clarify why the Welsh Government does not currently operate a grant scheme that provides funding directly to veterinary professionals to undertake testing for bovine TB in wildlife?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability (Llyr Gruffydd)
Although we do not currently operate a grant scheme to undertake testing for TB in wildlife, we do fund the All Wales Badger Found Dead Survey through a fully procured contract. We are also about to reintroduce the passive deer surveillance survey where samples collected from deer culled for management purposes are examined for bovine TB.
I eagerly await the advice from the bovine TB Technical Advisory Group and Programme Board to implement a new approach to managing TB. This may lead to opportunities for veterinary professionals to propose methods to fill any identified evidence gaps.