Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure timely public health messaging on avian influenza in coastal tourist areas during periods of increased seabird mortality.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have a range of communication messages ready for use for avian influenza.

For coastal tourist areas, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has created guidance relating to wild birds. Guidance relating to reporting dead wild birds is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds

In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ guidance on the removal and disposal of dead wild birds is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/removing-and-disposing-of-dead-wild-birds#removing-dead-wild-birds-on-public-land-private-land-and-managed-estates

The UKHSA has also published broader public health guidance on the general risk, not specific to wild birds, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-advice-for-the-public-on-staying-safe/avian-influenza-bird-flu-advice-for-the-public-on-staying-safe-by-minimising-contact-with-wild-birds

Land managers and local authorities are also able to use a range of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ communication messages, including posters, to spread these messages, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-posters-for-land-managers