[holding answer 5 June 2006]: The frequency of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) herd testing is determined by EU legislation but this does not establish the frequency of tests on individual cattle. In Great Britain, cattle herds are tested every one, two, three or four years depending on how widespread bTB is in their respective regions; these frequencies are reviewed on an annual basis. The percentage of herds and parishes being tested annually has increased over the last few years; currently, about 25 per cent. of herds are tested annually and another 14 per cent. are tested every two years. In 2005, approximately 43,500 herd tests were carried out on 4.85 million cattle.An analysis of bTB testing coverage in the GB cattle population has been carried out by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and published in the Proceedings of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine 2006¹. The findings from this preliminary work showed that 71 per cent. to 85 per cent. of the cattle included in the study appeared not to have been bTB tested during their lifetimes. However, it should be noted that the study included cattle which had lived through the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak when bTB testing was severely disrupted.Many of the animals not being tested do not present a disease control risk. For example, some animals in low risk herds are slaughtered prior to a herd test becoming due. However, we accept that a small percentage of animals missing a bTB test may present a disease risk. Defra is supporting further work in this area.Recent policy changes should have a positive effect on the percentage of animals being tested during their lifetimes, such as the introduction of zero tolerance for overdue herd tests and pre-movement testing for animals moving out of high risk herds.In addition to live skin testing of cattle, the bTB surveillance programme is supplemented by statutory inspection of cattle carcases at slaughterhouses by the Meat Hygiene Service."¹ An analysis of Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Test (SICCT) coverage in the GB cattle population by A P Mitchell, L E Green, R Clifton-Hadley, J Mawdsley, R Sayers and G F Medley. Proceedings of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine 2006 pp 70-86."