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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of (1) the implications for producers and their livelihoods of the current bird flu outbreak, and (2) the availability of poultry for Christmas.

Defra’s avian influenza disease control measures aim to minimise the economic burden of the outbreak on the food, farming and tourism industries and the wider economy.

The Department works closely with poultry industry stakeholders and the impacts of the avian influenza outbreak are being monitored closely. Where avian influenza is confirmed on a premises, the producer receives compensation for any healthy birds culled for disease control purposes. Compensation is not available for sick birds or those that have died, or for consequential losses such as lost sales opportunities as a result of movement restrictions. These are well-established arrangements in line with the Animal Health Act 1981 (As amended).

Around 9 million British turkeys are reared for Christmas every year to some of the highest standards in the world. Although the supply of vets, catchers, farm staff and drivers remains a challenge for the poultry industry, recent avian influenza outbreaks at turkey farms are very unlikely to have any detrimental impact on the supply of British turkeys this Christmas.