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

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with stakeholders regarding the current outbreak of avian flu.

Defra in collaboration with the Devolved Administrations host regular avian influenza stakeholder meetings attended by organisations representing the breadth of the bird keeping sector including commercial, small scale, pet and specialist bird keepers, together with ornithological, veterinary, wildlife rehabilitation sector representatives. Expert advice is also sought by the UKs Chief Veterinary Officer and animal health policy officials through the Ornithology National Experts Group , and Great Britain Avian Exotic Disease Core Group which include representatives from across the bird keeping sector. These forums, in conjunction with facilitating transmission of information from HM Government on the latest outbreak situation, control measures and biosecurity advice to the sector, provide the opportunity for the sector to escalate questions and feedback to HM Government. Engagement with stakeholders is further facilitated through the Defra and Welsh Government Avian Influenza Wild Bird Recovery Advisory Group and the NatureScot taskforce on avian influenza, on both the impact of avian influenza on wild birds and the long term actions which may be needed to support species recovery

In addition, the Animal and Plant Health Agency is leading on a cross-government, cross-agency review of lessons from the recent outbreak which will identify what went well and areas where improvements can be made to improve the effectiveness of the response to future outbreaks. Stakeholders, including small avian farms, have fed into this process and their suggestions and concerns will be reviewed as part of this.