Written questions

Bovine Tuberculosis: Testing

Commons · Question 8755 · Tabled 10 Jun 2026 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Official record

Answered 17 Jun 2026

Question

Asked by Helen Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the reliability of the tuberculin skin test currently used for detecting bovine tuberculosis.

Answer

Answered by Dame Angela Eagle, 17 Jun 2026

The tuberculin skin test, also known as the Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Tuberculin (SICCT) test, is the primary screening test for TB in cattle in the UK and the internationally accepted standard for detecting TB in cattle. No diagnostic test ...