The Badger Trust has applied to the High Court for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal against the rejection of its challenge of the legality of the Welsh Assembly's decision to kill badgers as part of its bTB eradication programme.

The high court had granted a judicial review in March, but its April ruling concluded that the Welsh Assembly's plans were lawful.

The court and Welsh Assembly have received the Trust’s submissions and the Government’s response is expected by Friday, May 7th.

Meanwhile, Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has welcomed the Bern Convention's decision not to continue with the Badger Trust's complaint against the Welsh Assembly.

In a meeting in Strasbourg on March 29th, the Bureau, which takes administrative and organisational decisions between meetings of the Standing Committee, decided to remove the complaint from its complaint list.