The seventeenth report of a series on bovine tuberculosis in badgers has been published by MAFF. It was prepared by the Consultative Panel on Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis which was set up by the Ministry with the remit of:

• i) keeping under review the evidence relating to bovine tuberculosis in badgers, including its distribution, its prevalence and its relationship to bovine tuberculosis in cattle;

• ii) advising on the operations to be undertaken by the Ministry in order to limit the transmission of tuberculosis from badgers to cattle;

• iii) recommending research appropriate to the problem of badgers and bovine tuberculosis.