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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to coordinate a response to the outbreak of avian influenza in seabird colonies across Britain, (2) to put in place a surveillance programme that will improve the early detection of avian flu in wild bird populations in the future, and (3) to (a) plan for, and (b) mitigate the risk of, the spread of avian flu to other species, including marine mammals such as grey seals.

The UK’s seabirds are an important part of our natural heritage, and their protection is a high priority for the Government. We recognise the significant threat highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) poses to our seabird populations.

Defra is working with Devolved Administrations, Arm’s Length Bodies and charities to monitor and respond to the effect of avian influenza on wild birds. This includes providing advice on mitigation measures that can be put in place to both protect public health and the impact on wild birds where possible. However, avian influenza is a natural transmission process in wild birds and there is limited evidence that mitigation measures are effective at reducing mortality or morbidity in seabird colonies.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) operate a robust programme of wild bird surveillance across Great Britain and engages in year-round avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols. Between 25 October 2021 and 8 July 2022, over 3,000 wild birds have been tested. Of these, 1422 have tested positive for H5 HPAI. There have been findings in 343 different locations in 61 different species in 78 different counties. A report (updated weekly) of findings of HPAI in wild birds is published on GOV.UK together with outbreak and risk assessments (www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-in-wild-birds).

Last month a new consortium was launched, led by Defra and APHA, to fund research to look into how avian influenza viruses are emerging in wild populations and help us understand the risk posed to both domestic and wild birds.

While avian influenza viruses are predominantly considered a pathogen of birds, the virus can infect mammals. While there is no routine surveillance for avian influenza in seals in Great Britain, causes of death of stranded marine mammals are monitored and investigated through the Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme and Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme. Where appropriate, stranded seals are tested for avian influenza in collaboration with the APHA avian influenza National Reference Laboratory.