In your article ‘Down on the Farm’ (see [2008] Gazette, 25 September, 16) you quoted a Welsh firm of commercial solicitors stating that it was essentially fear of political fallout which motivated the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to call off the proposed badger cull in the fight against bovine TB.

I acted for the Badger Trust in the parallel Welsh debate. The Welsh Minister for Rural Affairs was considering a cull but subsequently withdrew her decision. This was based on robust scientific evidence.

The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) advised DEFRA on how best to tackle the problem of cattle TB. Following almost a decade of research, which cost over £50m and the lives of 11,000 badgers, the ISG concluded in 2007 that: ‘While badgers are clearly a source of cattle TB, careful evaluation of our own and others’ data indicates that badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain. Indeed, some policies under consideration are likely to make matters worse rather than better.’

These are the conclusions of the most thorough, wide-ranging scientific study of bovine TB carried out in the UK. There is no substantial and respectable body of science contradicting the ISG’s conclusions. Accordingly, there was no evidence on which the minister could have reasonably issued a licence to kill under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. It was certainly very sensitive politically, but ultimately rational science won the day.

Gwendolen Gwynn-Morgan,Bindmans, London,