It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd, and to participate in this important debate secured by my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford. The Government acknowledges that bovine tuberculosis (TB) represents a significant threat to the cattle industry, with over 26,000 cattle being compulsorily slaughtered in England over the past year alone to control the disease. The Minister highlighted the role of badgers in spreading TB, noting evidence from the Downs study which suggests that badger culling has led to a reduction in BTB in certain areas. However, she stressed that there is no single solution to the problem and that the Government remains open-minded about how to tackle it, working closely with devolved Administrations and scientists to explore potential solutions. The Minister emphasised the importance of vaccinating cattle as a long-term goal, noting that trials for a test to distinguish vaccinated cows from those infected are ongoing. She stated that the aim is to have a real vaccine for cattle ready by 2025. In addition to vaccination, the Animal and Plant Health Agency now has 28 full-time badger vaccinators working hard to reduce TB in badgers. The Government introduced a simplified licence to ease the administrative burden on those wishing to vaccinate badgers. The Minister acknowledged that there are challenges with culling and vaccinating badgers, but she affirmed that these remain important tools in tackling BTB. She noted the decline of bovine TB in high-incidence areas and highlighted ongoing efforts to improve biosecurity on farms and when trading, as well as strengthening cattle testing and movement controls.