Avian Influenza

(asked on 21st March 2022) - View Source

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threat of bird flu in the UK to (1) poultry health, and (2) egg production.


Answered by
Lord Benyon Portrait
Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 4th April 2022

The UK is experiencing the largest outbreak of avian influenza with (as of 23 March 2022) 106 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 confirmed in poultry and other captive birds (86 cases in England, 5 in Wales, 9 in Scotland, 6 in Northern Ireland).

In Great Britain, the risk level of HPAI H5 in wild birds remains assessed as very high, owing to continued high numbers of HPAI H5 detections in wild birds, across various species. The risk of poultry exposure to HPAI H5 is assessed as medium (with low uncertainty) where good biosecurity is applied but high where biosecurity is suboptimal. This assessment takes into consideration the Avian Influenza Protection Zone (AIPZ) including housing measures which is currently in force across the UK. In Northern Ireland, the risk of HPAI incursion to domestic poultry is assessed as low if effective biosecurity is in place, increasing to moderate if the biosecurity measures are considered inadequate.

The Food Standards Agency has said that, on the basis of the current scientific evidence, AI poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

Following the introduction of mandatory housing measures on 29 November 2021, there is a 16 week ‘grace period’ during which eggs from birds which were intended to be free-range may be marketed as free-range even though they are housed. This expired at 00:01 on 21 March 2022 and means that in most cases, the eggs from birds temporarily housed for their welfare should be marketed and sold as ‘barn eggs’.

While the mandatory housing measure remain in force, changes to egg stamping, labelling and point of sales information are required to reflect this change in status. These measures will ensure consumers are able to make an informed choice. We are very mindful of the need to maintain consumer confidence in the free-range brand long term. The AIPZ requirements, including housing measures, will remain in force until further notice. However, the measure will be kept under regular review as part of the government’s work to monitor and manage the risks of avian influenza. Any decisions on when to lift or amend the AIPZs will be based on risk assessments containing the latest scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice.

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