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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential shortage of birds for commercial hunting given the avian flu pandemic and restrictions on bird movement.

The United Kingdom is currently experiencing its biggest ever outbreak of Avian Influenza (AI) in poultry and captive birds. Defra’s approach aims to reduce adverse impacts on the rural and wider economy, the public, rural communities and the environment (including impact on wildlife), whilst protecting public health and minimising the overall cost of any outbreak.

During AI outbreaks the release of game birds in the UK is tightly restricted. Due to the global nature of AI, countries such as France which supply the UK with gamebird hatching eggs have also been affected by AI.

Biosecurity at our borders is also paramount in protecting our game farming and shooting sectors. The restrictions put in place on imports, limiting the number of gamebirds that can enter the country, ultimately exist to prevent further outbreaks in poultry farms and gamebird premises.

We recognise that any sustained interruption to normal supplies of gamebirds due to AI outbreaks is likely to impact those business that make available gamebirds for commercial hunting in the UK.

We continue to monitor the current situation both in Europe and globally, as well as the effectiveness of any disease control measures taken. Any future decisions on disease control measures will be based upon the latest scientific, ornithological, and veterinary advice.