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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what precautions his Department is taking regarding the ongoing avian influenza outbreak to prevent its spread among (a) commercially kept birds, (b) domestically kept birds and (c) wild birds.

Defra’s approach to avian influenza is set out in the Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain supported by the Mitigation Strategy for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in England and Wales. Swift and humane culling of birds on infected premises coupled with good biosecurity are used to prevent disease spread.

Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ) mandating enhanced biosecurity are in force across the UK The AIPZs apply to all bird keepers whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock. In addition, mandatory housing for kept birds is in force in England across the unitary authorities of the East Riding of Yorkshire, the unitary authority of York, the City of Kingston upon Hull and all districts in Cheshire, Herefordshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Shropshire Suffolk and Worcestershire and all areas of Northern Ireland to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring.

Additional biosecurity measures also apply in disease control zones in force surrounding infected premises. Certain higher risk bird gatherings have also been prohibited. Guidance for keepers on maintaining scrupulous biosecurity to protect their flocks has been published at gov.uk/bird-flu.