Some time later today, Secretary of State Caroline Spelman is reported to be making a statement to the House of Commons on bovine tuberculosis and badgers.
We'll respond to what comes out, of course.
But, here in a nutshell is our position based on the proposal outlined by Defra in the consultation it conducted earlier this year.
We are sympathetic to concerns within the farming community over the impact of bovine TB. This is an important and significant disease and we need to find effective, sustainable solutions to stop its spread and ulimately eradicate it.
Culling badgers is a high risk, short term, unsustainable fix. Shooting free ranging badgers is untested, it could make things worse and has no place in a science based approach.
For a cull to be effective it would have to kill a large number of badgers, over a large area, for at least four years and in an synchronised and co-ordinated way.
This would be a huge logistical challenge and potential public relations nightmare. A poory co-ordinated cull will lead to an increase in TB outbreaks. The RSPB will not be culling on our nature reserves.
Vaccination, rather than decimation, is the way forward. It does not carry the same risks as cullig. Vaccination of both badgers and cattle, together with enhanced cattle testing/movement control, is the sustainable, publicy acceptable, long term solution. We have held this view for over a decade. The UK Government should get behind deployment of the injectable badger vaccination now and roll out oral badger and cattle vaccines as they become available.
I shall update this as soon as an announcement is made.