“What steps his Department is taking to help prevent the spread of avian influenza.”
Asked by
Sir John Whittingdale
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Answer from Hansard
The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs (Daniel Zeichner)
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising this extremely serious issue. To prevent the further spread of disease and manage the risk of avian influenza, DEFRA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency have implemented well-established outbreak structures to control and eradicate disease, restore normal trade and support recovery in local communities. Avian influenza prevention zones are in force across the UK. To further protect farmers and help communities, we are currently investing £208 million in the future of the biosecurity labs at Weybridge.