A proposed badger cull in Derbyshire this winter has been rejected by the government although 11 new sites have also been announced.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said all licences authorising the killing of badgers or the taking of badgers for the purpose of killing in the county of Derbyshire, will be rejected until at least May 1 2020.

It said it would give further consideration to how to combine vaccination programs against bovine TB with other methods.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, which campaigned against the proposed culling, said it was "delighted".

Dr Jo Smith, chief executive of the trust, said: "We will continue to expand our badger vaccination programme to ensure that Derbyshire's badgers remain healthy and safe from the cull and we'll use our findings to better inform the government's strategy for managing bovine TB.

"We believe that the badger cull doesn't work and is scientifically unsound. Badger vaccination and other measures, including regulations and restrictions on cattle movements as well as the development of cattle vaccine are the best approach for the farming industry and our wildlife."

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) spokesman said: "The government has decided the proposed badger cull in Derbyshire should not be licensed this year while further consideration is given to how best to manage the coexistence of vaccination projects and badger control projects in the edge area."

Professor Ranald Munro (ex-Chair of an independent expert group appointed by the government to assess its trials) had written to Natural England stating that the badger cull has had no effect on Bovine TB in cattle and is not being properly supervised by Natural England. Professor Munro argues that some animals are likely to have suffered immense pain as a result of this control measure.

Bovine TB costs taxpayers over £100 million every year and England has the highest incidence rate of the disease in Europe. Evidence shows that badgers do transmit bovine TB to cattle and contribute to the persistence of the disease. There is no single measure that will provide an easy answer to beating the disease which is why we are pursuing a range of interventions to eradicate it, including tighter cattle movement controls, regular testing and vaccinations.

There are numerous reports on this issue, which is why we commissioned one thorough and independent review conducted by Professor Sir Charles Godfray to assess the government’s goal of eradicating the disease by 2038. The report found that the badger cull has a “modest” but significant impact on managing bovine TB. Data published in 2018 also shows a 58% reduction in the disease in Gloucestershire and 21% in Somerset after two years of culling, compared to un-culled areas.

The government recognises that it is essential that culling is humane. Licensing is not done lightly and farmers, contractors and Natural England themselves take the welfare of badgers very seriously.

Badger control operations are monitored to check their humaneness, safety and effectiveness, and a summary of findings is published annually on gov.uk. To date, operations have been assessed by Natural England’s Chief Scientist and the UK Chief Vet as being safe, effective and humane.

Eleven new cull sites announced

Ministers also approved culling in 11 new areas this week as farmers continue to battle bovine TB.

This includes the reauthorisation of licences for 29 existing areas.

New areas include Bristol, Cheshire, Devon, Cornwall, Staffordshire, Dorset, Herefordshire and Wiltshire.

This will cover the High Risk and Edge areas of England starting from autumn.

A Defra spokesperson said:"Bovine TB remains one of the greatest animal health threats to the UK, causing devastation for hard-working farmers and rural communities.

"There is no single measure that will provide an easy answer to beating the disease. That is why we are pursuing a range of interventions to eradicate the disease by 2038, including tighter cattle movement controls, regular testing and vaccinations."

A Natural England spokesperson said:"We help to implement the badger culling policy under the direction of Defra and in line with decisions taken by ministers. We are in the process of reviewing the badger cull applications for 2019 made under that policy and will communicate decisions in due course.

"One of our roles is to independently consider licence applications to cull or vaccinate badgers, and we take policy advice from Defra when deciding if the activity will deliver effective disease control. Licensing is not done lightly and those involved in the cull - farmers, contractors and Natural England staff - take the welfare of badgers very seriously."