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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the special protection areas on General Licence 45 were reassessed following the highly pathogenic avian influenza risk-level in wild birds being increased to medium (on 7 October 2024), high (on 30 October 2024) and very high (on 18 December 2024), and under what scenario the licence would be modified or revoked.

Defra regularly assesses the local risk of HPAI to internationally protected birds on Special Protected Areas subject to the General licence 45. It has not been necessary to modify or revoke the licence as no gamebirds are being released at the times stated and the biosecurity conditions of GL45 were considered sufficiently precautionary.