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

To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of those releasing gamebirds under licence in England on (1) special areas of conservation, and (2) special protection areas, or within 500 metres of their boundaries, have registered their birds on the poultry register.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) can identify the number of gamebird locations recorded on the poultry register within Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and within 500 metres of their boundaries. However, this Government does not hold details of those releasing gamebirds under licence in a form that allows the percentage requested to be calculated.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to regulate captive-reared mallard releases to reduce the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza to (1) wild birds, and (2) poultry.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

A 2024 Natural England risk review [see attached] concluded that there is a very high likelihood that captive-reared mallards will be exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 after release. Once exposed, there is a very high likelihood of widespread morbidity and mortality in wild birds. The review concludes that captive-reared juvenile mallards have potential to act as both a reservoir and amplifier of H5N1 and to play a major role in H5N1’s continued persistence and dissemination.

The release of captive-reared mallards is already prohibited in Protection Zones, Surveillance Zone and Captive Bird Monitoring Controlled Zones. Releases are also prohibited in Avian Influenza Prevention Zones with housing measures.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether a habitats regulations assessment has been carried out for the release of mallards into Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation, given the risks of highly pathogenic avian influenza they present to wild birds.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is not aware that a habitats regulations assessment (HRA) has been carried out for the release of Mallards (for shooting) on Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) in England.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government for what reason captive bred pheasants released and managed for shooting are considered wild birds under avian influenza rules; and what plans they have to reconsult on this classification.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In the event of a confirmed case of notifiable avian disease in gamebirds, The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) makes an assessment of whether the gamebirds are considered for the purposes of disease control to be kept poultry or wild birds. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. If there is uncertainty of their status this is escalated to Defra for a final decision. Under disease control legislation “wild game bird” means a wild bird which lives freely in the wild and is hunted for human consumption.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government which notifiable diseases have been confirmed in (1) pheasants, and (2) red-legged partridges, in the last five years; and whether there is evidence of transmission to wild birds for any of these diseases.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In the last five years there have confirmed cases of both low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on premises containing pheasants. Some premises confirmed with HPAI and LPAI have also had red-legged partridges. There have also been findings in both species in found dead wild birds tested as part of wild bird surveillance.

Epidemiological investigations at infected premises did not find any evidence to support likely transmission from farmed gamebirds to wild birds on these premises.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ban the breeding of wildcat hybrids in light of animal welfare concerns.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As part of delivering the Animal Welfare Strategy, which was published on 22 December 2025, this Government will take steps to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding. Defra officials are drawing on expertise from the sector and considering any further steps which may improve welfare practices.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the welfare implications of breeding wildcat hybrids.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As part of delivering the Animal Welfare Strategy, which was published on 22 December 2025, this Government will take steps to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding. Defra officials are drawing on expertise from the sector and considering any further steps which may improve welfare practices.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the Natural England report The risks from H5N1 to wild birds from captive-reared mallard, published on 24 June 2024, what assessment they have made of the need to regulate captive-reared mallard releases to reduce high pathogenicity avian influenza risk to (1) wild birds, and (2) poultry.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is considering the available evidence on the impacts of gamebird and mallard release and shooting in England, including Natural England’s report The risks from H5N1 to wild birds from captive-reared mallard, published on 24 June 2024. This Government will also engage with the sector and other stakeholder groups as this work progresses. This work is helping to inform consideration of whether further measures, including licensing, may be needed in relation to the release of captive-reared birds.

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Baroness Nye and Lord Randall of Uxbridge 2.

Found: Dholakia Baroness Freeman of Steventon Baroness Hodgson of Abinger Baroness Neuberger Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Baroness Browning and Lord Randall of Uxbridge. 2.

Found: Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Apo logies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Randall of Uxbridge. 2.

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge

Found: Baroness Freeman of Steventon; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Neuberger; Baroness Nye; Lord Randall of Uxbridge