Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to reduce cases of avian influenza In (a) South Georgia and (b) the South Sandwich Islands.

The FCDO is working to support the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) following confirmation of cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in brown skua populations on Bird Island (South Georgia) earlier this month, and suspected spread to other species and sites for which samples have been returned to the UK for analysis. GSGSSI has a tiered response plan in place to manage the outbreak and, alongside the British Antarctic Survey, is monitoring the situation closely for spread. GSGSSI has put enhanced biosecurity procedures and mitigation measures in place for different groups and activities depending on the HPAI risk at each visitor or landing site, and is regularly updating site response levels. Visitor landings are continuing at some sites, but will be restricted or cancelled if necessary. A limited number of high priority science projects are continuing with additional safeguards in place.