News & Reports bovine TB
IEP will not be monitoring pilot badger culls in 2014, says Defra DEFRA has indicated that the Independent Expert Panel (IEP), which monitored the safety, efficacy and humaneness of the two pilot badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire last year, will not be asked to continue its work in 2014. In a written parliamentary question, Maria Eagle, the shadow secretary of state to Defra, asked what steps Defra planned to take to ensure that the ongoing monitoring of the pilot badger culls was independently scientifically evaluated. In a written response on April 29, George Eustice, parliamentary undersecretary of state at Defra, said: ‘Defra is currently working closely with Natural England and AHVLA to develop the detail of how the monitoring will be implemented, including auditing and evaluation procedures. The results and outcome of the monitoring of the pilot cull will be made publicly available after they have been completed.’
466 | Veterinary Record | May 10, 2014
In a second question, Ms Eagle asked what steps were being taken to ensure that the ongoing monitoring of the pilot culls would be independent and that their effectiveness, humaneness and safety was based on rigorous scientific methodology. In response to this question, Mr Eustice said: ‘Monitoring of compliance with licence conditions will continue to be carried out by the licensing authority, Natural England. AHVLA will continue to carry out postmortem examinations of carcases. Defra is currently working closely with Natural England and AHVLA to develop the detail of how the monitoring will be implemented, including auditing and evaluation procedures.’ The BVA recently set out its position on the continuation of the pilot culls, making clear that it could continue to support them only if there was ‘robust monitoring and collation of results, and independent analysis and auditing by a
non-government body’. Following Mr Eustice’s responses to Ms Eagle’s questions, the BVA President, Robin Hargreaves, commented: ‘Our Council and members have been very clear that we can only support the continuation of the pilot culls in England if steps are taken to improve both its effectiveness and the humaneness of controlled shooting and if there is robust monitoring and collation of results with independent analysis and auditing by a non-governmental body. We will be meeting with the Chief Veterinary Officer and the Secretary of State shortly to discuss our response to the IEP report. The minister’s response to the parliamentary question indicates that the IEP will not be asked to monitor the pilots in year 2, but we hope we can discuss other ways to ensure robust, independent analysis and auditing.’ doi: 10.1136/vr.g3083
Copyright of Veterinary Record: Journal of the British Veterinary Association is the property of BMJ Publishing Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
IEP will not be monitoring pilot badger culls in 2014, says Defra DEFRA has indicated that the Independent Expert Panel (IEP), which monitored the safety, efficacy and humaneness of the two pilot badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire last year, will not be asked to continue its work in 2014. In a written parliamentary question, Maria Eagle, the shadow secretary of state to Defra, asked what steps Defra planned to take to ensure that the ongoing monitoring of the pilot badger culls was independently scientifically evaluated. In a written response on April 29, George Eustice, parliamentary undersecretary of state at Defra, said: ‘Defra is currently working closely with Natural England and AHVLA to develop the detail of how the monitoring will be implemented, including auditing and evaluation procedures. The results and outcome of the monitoring of the pilot cull will be made publicly available after they have been completed.’
466 | Veterinary Record | May 10, 2014
In a second question, Ms Eagle asked what steps were being taken to ensure that the ongoing monitoring of the pilot culls would be independent and that their effectiveness, humaneness and safety was based on rigorous scientific methodology. In response to this question, Mr Eustice said: ‘Monitoring of compliance with licence conditions will continue to be carried out by the licensing authority, Natural England. AHVLA will continue to carry out postmortem examinations of carcases. Defra is currently working closely with Natural England and AHVLA to develop the detail of how the monitoring will be implemented, including auditing and evaluation procedures.’ The BVA recently set out its position on the continuation of the pilot culls, making clear that it could continue to support them only if there was ‘robust monitoring and collation of results, and independent analysis and auditing by a
non-government body’. Following Mr Eustice’s responses to Ms Eagle’s questions, the BVA President, Robin Hargreaves, commented: ‘Our Council and members have been very clear that we can only support the continuation of the pilot culls in England if steps are taken to improve both its effectiveness and the humaneness of controlled shooting and if there is robust monitoring and collation of results with independent analysis and auditing by a non-governmental body. We will be meeting with the Chief Veterinary Officer and the Secretary of State shortly to discuss our response to the IEP report. The minister’s response to the parliamentary question indicates that the IEP will not be asked to monitor the pilots in year 2, but we hope we can discuss other ways to ensure robust, independent analysis and auditing.’ doi: 10.1136/vr.g3083
Copyright of Veterinary Record: Journal of the British Veterinary Association is the property of BMJ Publishing Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
