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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve communications with registered and unregistered bird keepers when avian influenza control zones are established.

Defra continues to support bird keepers to manage and prepare for avian influenza outbreaks.

Defra uses several channels of communication with bird keepers. A dedicated avian influenza page on GOV.UK is regularly updated with the latest information. We also issue national, local and trade press releases to ensure the latest information is communicated through the media.

All poultry or other captive bird keepers in England (with the exception of certain psittacines and passerines) are legally required to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) via the Kept Bird Register. This enables the Government to communicate directly and promptly with bird keepers about biosecurity measures to help protect their birds and reduce the risk of disease spread.

Following confirmation of an avian influenza outbreak, all registered bird keepers within disease control zones receive text messages or email alerts about the measures in the zones. In addition, anyone can subscribe to APHA’s free animal disease alerts service to receive updates on risk levels, latest guidance and new cases across Great Britain, regardless of whether they keep birds.