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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a licence is required to release gamebirds into the wild within an Avian Influenza disease control zone in the event that those birds are still considered livestock as a result of being significantly dependent on the provision of food, water or shelter for their survival.

Following confirmation of notifiable avian influenza in poultry or other captive birds, disease control zones are put in place surrounding the infected premises. Within these disease control zones, a range of controls are in place to prevent the spread of disease, including restrictions on the movement of poultry and other captive birds (including kept gamebirds), carcases, eggs, used poultry litter and manure. Definitive requirements are set out in the declaration published on GOV.UK for each disease control zone. Keepers can check where disease control zones are located in GB and if they are in zone on the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) interactive map.

The release of gamebirds in avian influenza disease control zones is prohibited, no licenses permitting this activity can be granted.

Guidance for gamebird keepers on avian influenza has been prepared by game shooting, research and game conservation bodies and is endorsed by Defra, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and DAERA in Northern Ireland and is available via the Game Farmers Association website.