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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in the context of the avian influenza outbreak, if she will hold discussions with her counterparts in devolved governments to encourage the expansion of mandatory housing measures to all poultry and captive birds in Great Britain.

Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved administrations to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. However, the UK Government works with the devolved administrations to seek a coordinated response wherever possible to control disease. All four administrations are an integral part of the UK-wide decision-making processes for animal disease outbreaks.