Perran Moon

Meur ras, Mr Stuart; it is a rare honour to serve under your chairship. I am pleased to speak in this debate. The petition, “End the Badger cull and adopt other approaches to bovine TB control”, had received 102,458 signatures at the final count, 389 of which were from my constituents in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle—the fifth-highest number across all parliamentary constituencies. I will join them, making it 390. It is worth noting that many of the constituencies with the highest number of signatures are in the south-west of England—I note that half of Cornwall’s representatives are here today—and Wales, where the issue is particularly resonant. As has been pointed out, bovine tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease that primarily affects cattle. It is caused by Mycobacterium bovis, which can spread to humans, so it has implications both for livestock and for public health. I am proud that so many of my constituents have expressed concern. Their engagement reflects the fact that Cornwall and the south-west of England are considered high-risk areas for bovine TB, according to the Badger Trust. I make clear to the Minister the strength of feeling among my constituents. Few of us—perhaps none—can claim to be an expert on bovine TB, but we can all understand the impact of the disease on cattle farming, and the deep sadness that many people feel about the culling of badgers, which are the largest remaining carnivores in Britain. At a time of renewed interest in protecting our natural environment, including efforts to rewild parts of the UK and reintroduce species such as the beaver in parts of Cornwall, this debate is especially important. I welcome the Government’s commitment to a step change in tackling this devastating disease, and the progress that they have made towards vaccinating badgers to support healthier populations. Does the Minister agree that the aim of Government policy in this area must be to preserve our wildlife—including badgers, which play such an important role in our ecosystem—while protecting our farming communities, which are so vital to the nation?