Liz Truss signals her intention to continue with the controversial badger cull policy

It has been reported by the BBC that Liz Truss, the new environmental secretary, has told the Commons that the controversial badger cull will resume later this year.

In her first Commons appearance since replacing Owen Paterson, Liz Truss said that the Government would continue to use "every tool in our toolbox" to tackle bovine TB.

Pilot culls in 2013 were assessed by an Independent Expert Panel (IEP) as inhumane and ineffective. BBC News say that, when pushed in the commons to guarantee that the IEP would assess future culls, Ms Truss said that Natural England would do so

Liz Truss was challenged by Maria Eagle, shadow environment secretary, to guarantee the IEP's inclusion.  Ms Truss replied: "The reality is that bovine TB represents a massive threat to our dairy and beef industries and we need to look at the best scientific evidence.

"We are asking Natural England to assess the way that the culls are going and to look at what we can do in the future."

Disappointed by the reply, Maria Eagle said:  "I'm afraid you've just flunked your first test and missed a golden opportunity to put scientific evidence back where it ought to be in Defra, at the very centre of the decision-making."