Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set out the process her Department takes to determine an application for a bird gathering operating under the specific licence.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

In England, bird gatherings are regulated under Regulation 6 of the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006. To hold a gathering which includes birds not covered by general licence, applicants can apply for a specific licence.

The specific licence application process is as follows:

1. Applications must be made at least 20 days before the planned event.
2. A preliminary, individual risk assessment will be completed by APHA for each application, based on the risk at the time of application. Assessing the risk of each gathering is complex. Factors taken into account include, but are not limited to: the background risk; the origin locations of the birds; the species of birds attending; biosecurity measures; the number of birds; and the number of premises.
3. Seven days before the gathering, the risk is re-assessed, to reflect any change since the preliminary risk assessment.
4. If the risk assessment supports this, a specific licence is issued for the gathering.