To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the potential merit in the deployment of a cattle vaccine as part of the bTB eradication strategy.

At present both domestic (Northern Ireland) and European law (which also remains applicable in Northern Ireland, under the Northern Ireland Protocol) prohibit the use of vaccines for bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle in Northern Ireland.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has been sponsoring trials in England into the potential combined deployment of a cattle vaccine, and a differential test to help tackle bovine Tuberculosis (bTB). A differential test, sometimes referred to as a DIVA test, would allow vaccinated animals to be differentiated from those infected with disease.

My officials are monitoring the progress of the Defra trials with interest. Should these trials prove successful, and the associated new differential test gain the required international approvals, the use of a vaccine supported by the appropriate DIVA testing regime would have the potential to significantly change the approach to controlling bTB in cattle here in Northern Ireland.