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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the UK’s trading partners on certification and surveillance requirements to enable the use of avian influenza vaccination in poultry while maintaining export access.

The joint industry and cross-government highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Vaccine Taskforce has published a report proposing a number of next steps to close critical knowledge gaps before publishing a final recommendation. These actions include exploring a targeted turkey vaccination trial, proactive engagement with trading partners, and working to build surveillance and laboratory capacity. Defra and the Devolved Governments, working with industry, will give careful consideration to these in determining next steps.