Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

As I said in my opening statement, the mixture of the two tests is helping to more accurately identify reactors and get them removed more quickly - as I understand it - but I freely admit I am not an expert in this area. With the badger control programme, we are taking out some 6,000 badgers per year in carefully controlled areas. Both measures are driving TB down to very low levels of just over 3% of herds. For the first time ever we have set a target for elimination. We have said that it would be done by 2030. Obviously, it gets more and more difficult. Again, it is the usual thing in that the more successful we are the harder it gets and the last 3% will be the toughest. The plan is to get it done by 2030 at the latest but hopefully earlier. The blood tests are working and helping within the process. We are also working on a wildlife vaccine, which has had a good deal of success at the moment. That may also become the bigger feature as we move towards complete elimination. How many years have we been at this, as a nation? Getting rid of TB is like the third national aim. We got rid of brucellosis so we believe we can get rid of TB also. We are confident we can do this by 2030.