Written question asked by Andrew George (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 15 September 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 October 2025. It was answered by Angela Eagle (Labour) on Monday, 13 October 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Avian Influenza: Disease Control

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of wild bird and mammal surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza on UK coastlines; and whether she plans to increase funding for carcass testing in 2025–26.

Answer: The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) avian influenza national reference laboratory carries out year-round surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dead wild birds and influenza of avian origin in wild mammals. Including surveillance in marine mammals in coordination with APHA’s Diseases of Wildlife Scheme (DoWS) and the UK Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme. The results of which can be viewed on APHA’s interactive map and data dashboard. The thresholds for collection for wild birds for HPAI surveillance and case definition for influenza of avian origin in mammals are regularly reviewed, together with the need for additional targeted surveillance at discrete locations or in specific populations, including coastal locations to align with the sensitivity of surveillance required.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 76973
Session: 2024-26
Subjects: Birds Coastal areas Finance Disease control Testing Avian influenza Mammals
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk