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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many instances of avian flu were identified in sites in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales in the last six months; how many birds died of avian flu in that time period; how many birds were actively culled in response to an avian flu outbreak; how many birds were actively culled in response to a suspected avian flu outbreak; and what methods were used to cull those birds.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency recorded the following number of instances of avian flu within each nation during the last six months:

England - 17

Scotland - 1

Wales - 1

245,342 birds died of avian flu during this time. This data is only available for the captive birds at the 19 premises where disease was identified. This figure includes the birds culled as part of disease control operations.

In addition, we have recorded the following wild bird positive results for highly pathogenic avian influenza as part of the avian influenza survey of dead wild birds:

2020 – 277

2021 – 19

Avian influenza in wilds birds data is available on GOV.UK at the following link:- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-in-wild-birds.

212,646 birds were actively culled in reaction to avian flu outbreaks.

There were four premises declared as Slaughter on Suspicion cases, which were all recategorised as Infected Premises upon CVO confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N8, and therefore data for these is included above.

There are different methods used to cull birds with avian flu. These are:

• Exposure to CO2/Argon gas mix gas in Containerised Gassing Units
• Percussive blow to the head using percussive poultry killers
• Lethal Injection
• Cervical dislocation
• Free bullet by trained marksmen