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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that wildlife crimes committed against birds during the HPAI pandemic are fully investigated.

This government takes wildlife crime seriously. Those found guilty of crimes against our wild birds should be subject to the full force of the law. The ongoing H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak has brought challenges in particular cases where wild birds have died in suspicious circumstances. In some situations where a wild bird carcass has tested positive for avian influenza, further post mortem examination to, for example, test for poisoning may not always be possible due to the need to handle carcases and samples very carefully, at high containment, in order to protect public health and prevent spread of avian influenza. The government seeks to minimise the number of these cases.

For instance, the APHA Diseases of Wildlife Scheme (DoWS) is working closely with the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS) run on the behalf of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) by Natural England. WIIS makes enquiries into the death or illness of wildlife that may have resulted from pesticide or rodenticide poisoning. This can lead to identifying and penalising those who deliberately or recklessly misuse such substances. Dead wild birds submitted to APHA where poisoning is suspected are investigated by DoWS in collaboration with WIIS. Investigations include post-mortem examinations where carcases can be handled bio-securely. The government and relevant partners are alive to the enforcement challenges the HPAI pandemic has brought. We continue to work closely between Defra, the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), Scottish and Welsh Governments, Natural England, APHA and the HSE to explore options and identify how all cases can be fully investigated.