WIREDGOV

Natural England welcomes the Independent Scientific Group’s report 'Bovine TB: The Scientific Evidence'.

Natural England is the Government’s independent wildlife, farming and landscape advisor. Among our many responsibilities, we issue licences to manage wildlife that is otherwise protected by law. Reasons to issue licences include protecting human Health & Safety, protecting animal welfare, controlling agricultural diseases, or stopping damage from non-native wildlife. Badgers are protected by law and it is illegal to deliberately kill, injure or take badgers or to interfere with a badger sett without a licence.

Natural England will now examine the report in depth before providing a comprehensive response to the recommendations. Natural England looks forward to Defra's announcement of its policy decision, at which point we'll need to consider the implications for wildlife management.

Notes for editors:

1. Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.

2. Badgers and their setts are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, which makes it illegal to kill, injure or take badgers or to interfere with a badger sett. Interference with a sett includes blocking tunnels or damaging the sett in any way. The Hunting Act 2004 amended the above legislation.

3. Licences can be issued to allow action to be taken if problems cannot be resolved by alternative means. Licences to kill or take badgers are only issued in exceptional circumstances, with the majority of problems resolved non-lethally, normally by the partial or complete closure of the sett of the badger(s) causing the problem. For further information see http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/badger.htm.

For further information contact the National Press Office on 0845 603 9953, press@naturalengland.org.uk, out of hours 07970 098005.