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Written question asked by Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 (named day). It was answered by Angela Eagle (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Avian Influenza: Vaccination

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the policy reason is for limiting avian influenza vaccination to birds kept in zoological settings.

Answer

Given the role of zoos in global conservation, vaccination of zoo birds is permitted in England subject to eligibility criteria. Existing vaccines can only be administered via injection, which rules out widespread use in wild birds. While vaccination can reduce mortality, vaccinated birds may still transmit avian influenza, increasing the time needed to detect and eradicate the virus.

The cross-Government and industry Avian Influenza Vaccination Taskforce develops recommendations for the use of vaccination to prevent the spread of avian influenza. In their initial report the Taskforce considered that sector specific vaccination in poultry is likely to be the most effective approach and set out a series of next steps to gather more information. A follow-up report will be published in summer 2026.

Defra’s policy on the use of avian influenza vaccines, together with sector-specific guidance for zoos and other collections with a zoo licence on how to apply for authorisation to vaccinate against avian influenza, is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-vaccination.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
110549
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Vaccination Zoos Avian influenza
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk