Question reference: S6W-09855
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 20 July 2022
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 August 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make funding available in the future to support sporting businesses that may be negatively impacted by any lack of gamebirds and associated financial losses, in light of the avian influenza outbreak.
Answer
The UK is currently experiencing the worst ever outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Prior to this, the largest outbreak involved 26 cases of HPAI in the UK in 2020/2021 and 13 cases in 2016/2017. In contrast, as of 28 July 2022, there have been 127 premises confirmed as infected with HPAI H5N1 within the UK: eleven in Scotland, five in Wales, six in Northern Ireland and 105 in England.
Of the total cases in the UK, only three have been gamebird premises, with none of these being in Scotland.
However, what has impacted the UK gamebird industry this year is the considerable number of HPAI cases in France, where approximately 80% of partridge chicks and 50-60% of pheasant chicks for the UK industry are sourced. Many of these source farms are caught up in disease control zones. Therefore, movement restrictions on both live birds and eggs are in place.
The Scottish Government supports farmers during the ongoing UK-wide avian influenza outbreak through the provision of timely advice and guidance to poultry and other captive bird keepers on risks, legal requirements and biosecurity. This information is made available through social media, news releases and on gov.scot, as these continue to be vital tools in protecting birds.
Compensation is paid for birds humanely euthanased as part of our disease response in line with valuation tables, which are updated regularly by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on behalf of the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government do not compensate for any dead or visibly ill birds, which is in line with the policy in England and Wales.
The Scottish Government has reminded keepers that the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ), and associated robust biosecurity measures, remain in place across Scotland (and the rest of GB). These measures include keeping their flocks separate from wild birds.
If a larger poultry or other captive bird business is situated in a disease control zone, there may be trade issues associated with regionalisation. The Scottish Government works with the Defra Market Access and Veterinary Trade Facilitation teams, who liaise with poultry industry stakeholders and the APHA Centre for International Trade (CIT) to understand and address issues and priorities for poultry exports.
Defra Market Access also liaise with British Embassy colleagues globally to answer trade related queries from Central Competent Authorities, provide updates to third country trading partners and seek clarity in terms of trade where required. The Scottish Government works with a range of partner organisations and agencies to support affected businesses where required.
The Scottish Government has also made an additional £1 million of funding available to APHA to cover the agency’s additional expenses associated with tackling the current avian influenza outbreak.