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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether compensation will be available for commercial poultry farmers for flock losses due to avian influenza control measures.

Compensation paid for birds culled by the Government for disease control purposes is designed to promote prompt reporting of suspicion of disease and is only payable for healthy birds as set out in the Animal Health Act 1981. There is no compensation available for sick birds or birds that have died.

Compensation is not paid for consequential losses, including business interruption caused by control measures, nor for eggs or poultry meat.