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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many outbreaks of Avian flu have been identified in each of the last five years in England.

During the 2016/2017 avian influenza outbreak, there were 12 confirmed cases of notifiable Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 in England.

In 2018, there were no outbreaks of avian influenza in England.

In 2019, 1 case of notifiable avian influenza was confirmed in England, a case of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) H5N3.

During the 2020/2021 avian influenza outbreak, between November 2020 and March 2021 there were 21 cases of notifiable avian influenza confirmed in England: 1 case of LPAI H5N2, 1 case of LPAI H5N3, 1 case of HPAI H5N1 and 18 cases of HPAI H5N8.

To date, in the 2021/2022 avian influenza outbreak, between 26 October 2021 and 17 May 2022, 97 cases of notifiable avian influenza have been confirmed in England, all HPAI H5N1.