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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consultation the Animal and Plant Health Agency undertook with avicultural event organisers, birdkeeping societies and representative bodies prior to the introduction of revised bird gathering licensing requirements.

Defra officials engaged proactively with stakeholders during summer 2025 including show organisers, auctioneers and breed societies, to better understand achievable conditions for gatherings. Engagement was via a number of stakeholder groups which occur regularly, and a series of individual discussions with key impacted parties. This process helped to shape a set of template conditions which could mitigate the disease risk associated with some gatherings.