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Avian Flu

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Byford, for giving us the chance to debate this issue in the House tonight. Avian influenza is currently a high-profile topic with the public and it is right that the House should discuss it at this time. Some important and significant points have been made and questions have been asked. I cannot possibly answer them all. It would be impossible to do that within the time available. I shall try to answer what I can and I will write to noble Lords if I cannot answer their questions tonight. By way of example, in the first part of her speech, the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, asked detailed questions about contingency plans. I would not be doing justice to her speech if I tried to answer her this evening, but I will write to her. I think it is best if I concentrate on telling the House where the Government believe we are at this time. Indeed, that is what the noble Baroness asked in her question. The first thing is that I remind the House that we do not have an outbreak of high pathogenic avian influenza in this country. The Government continue to monitor closely the risk of such an outbreak in the United Kingdom, and regularly reassess, update and publish their qualitative risk assessment. Indeed, many noble Lords will have seen the most recent QRA, which was made public a week or two ago. The risk of further geographical spread is assessed as high. In that light, the likelihood of the imminent introduction of H5N1 to the UK is assessed as increased, but still low. We continue to work closely with the European Union. This led to the European Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health agreeing to a European Union-wide ban on the importation of wild birds on a temporary basis. It was extended yesterday to 31 January 2006. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs remain vigilant on the big issue of the illegal trade or movement of birds. In addition to this, domestic legislation to implement the Commission decision restricting bird shows, fairs and markets came into force in England, Scotland and Wales on 28 October. Today, we have announced advice on allowing pigeon shows to go ahead under licence. We are also developing appropriate provisions to license pigeon racing. This legislation will help to prevent the spread of the avian influenza virus in the event of an outbreak. We are working closely with key stakeholders to determine the policy, to design and deliver surveillance arrangements and to agree and issue guidance. Information on issues such as biosecurity and worker protection—the noble Baroness asked about these matters—has been made widely available. With the addition of interested parties we are currently developing a central poultry register to gather essential information about poultry species held on commercial properties for the purposes of risk assessment and the prevention and control of disease. This database will be another safeguard to help identify an outbreak and also to limit its spread. We are continuing our programme of surveillance in wild birds. While evidence for the influence of migratory wild birds remains circumstantial, the Government are committed to increase levels of surveillance for possible presence of avian influenza virus. We are working with experts and ornithologists, such as staff at wetlands centres, and have published information regarding all this on the Defra website, which the noble Baroness, Lady Masham, was good enough to mention. The noble Lord, Lord Soulsby, and the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, talked about the international community and what we were doing. We are leading the fight to help the international community to eradicate avian influenza. Recently, we sent a delegation to a meeting hosted in the United States. As holders of the EU presidency, the United Kingdom has co-ordinated views and concerns from all European member states. Another delegation has been sent to Geneva for the WHO/FAO/OIE partners meeting. On a more practical note, we have also sent experts to Romania to help their response to avian influenza. The right reverend Prelate’s point is well taken about poultry in that country. Aside from the ban on the importation of wild birds, we have provided additional funding in excess of £6 million further to enhance our disease prevention programme, which includes import controls and quarantine procedures. In passing, I tell the noble Baroness that active research is going on—I am sure that she knows that—and we believe that we, in collaboration with other countries, are in the forefront of vaccination development of a new pandemic flu vaccine. But I will write to her at greater length about that. The Government have prepared a contingency plan that will come into effect in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza in this country. It is the same plan as was used successfully to manage the outbreak of Newcastle disease earlier this year. It focuses on the early detection of avian influenza and rapid action to contain and control it in the event of an outbreak. The contingency plan is routinely checked and tested in local exercises run by the State Veterinary Service, involving key operational partners when it is appropriate to do so. A national scale exercise thoroughly to test this plan is planned for early next year as the culmination of a number of smaller table-top exercises that began in October this year. Separate to that, a strategic level table-top exercise was held on 31 October involving senior officials from a number of government departments and agencies, in order to test the strategic level response arrangements and the communications strategy. In the unlikely event of an outbreak of avian flu occurring before there is a supply of vaccine available, we have a substantial stockpile of the antiviral Tamiflu that will be given to all those at risk of infection. We have heard a lot about the recent case of avian influenza in a quarantine centre in Essex. I must say that I have to be cautious about what I say concerning that. It is quite right that the epidemiological report has now been published and that comment was made about it. I still need to be cautious about what I say. This shows, I would argue, that in fact that the quarantine procedures were effective in this case because it gave early warning in preventing H5N1 entering the country, and the country remains free of the disease. However, we want to continue to examine ways to improve this system, and a general review of our quarantine procedures and arrangements was announced in October. That matter was mentioned by the noble Baroness, Lady Masham, the noble Duke and many others. The review is being chaired by Professor Nigel Dimmock, the Emeritus Professor of Virology at Warwick University. Indeed, the results of the epidemiological report that I have just referred to will be fed into this important inquiry that is going on into quarantine policy. Let me try and deal with some of the questions I was asked. The noble Baroness, Lady Byford, accused us of lacking urgency. I have to remind her that the Government have a duty to take these issues very seriously; and we do. But we also have to make sure that we do not cause unnecessary alarm at the wrong time. Government is about balance and trying to get it right. The noble Baroness can say that we have got the balance wrong here, if she wants to; but I argue strongly that we have it right. Regular risk assessments have been taking place. A contingency plan has been in place since July. That was fully tested with the Newcastle disease outbreak. It is updated and fully prepared. Bans need to be proportionate and always based on risk. The noble Baroness and other noble Lords mentioned vaccination and the Chinese statement—because that is what it is at present—concerning vaccination. The noble Lord, Lord Chan, was very interesting on that point. There are no vaccines yet in the EU with marketing authorisation. Therefore, we would not be allowed to consume the products of vaccinated poultry. That is a commercial decision for the marketing authorities. However, it is right to point out that a number of factors concerning current vaccines that make them unsuitable as a single disease control measure. There is the fact that every bird would have to be injected and that it can take three weeks to develop immunity. That does not necessarily stop the bird becoming infected and spreading the virus, even though it has been vaccinated. The vaccine can mask signs of disease, which would be very difficult. So there are arguments to be had about vaccination. I was asked about the zones. The State Veterinary Service and local authorities work together to publicise locally and visit premises. The same sizes are set out consistent with all animal disease control policy. I was asked about numbers. I can tell the noble Baroness that between 1 January and 9 November this year, a total of 53,155 wild birds were imported into the UK. I tell my noble friend Lord Stratford that it is not government policy to cull wild birds. Our policy is to control disease in domestic poultry and to continue to increase biosecurity. I was asked about key workers. I will write to the noble Baroness with more detail about that. The noble Lord, Lord Soulsby and the noble Duke mentioned the new directive. We hope to have political agreement by the end of this year to be implemented shortly after that which will enhance the current controls. Controls on low pathogenic AI, controls and surveillance of pigs in particular and regional and national movement restrictions will all be part of the thinking that goes into the new directive. I have already run out of time. Finally, the right reverend Prelate asked what instructions have been given to households to prepare for any future pandemic.  We have prepared publicity material for the public on avoiding the risks of infection and caring for sick family members and for general practitioners. It will be issued if needed; it has not been issued at present. The Secretary of State for Health has published her pandemic contingency plan and guidance. I end by again thanking the noble Baroness for raising the subject today. It has been a short but worthwhile debate. I am sorry that I have not been able to say more in the course of my answer.