On 29 March, the wild bird surveillance helpline was notified of a single dead swan in Cellardyke Harbour, Fife. It was collected and samples taken from it were sent to the Veterinary Laboratory Agency at Weybridge and arrived on 31 March. Confirmation of H5 high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) became available late on the afternoon of 5 April.

Avian influenza contingency plans were immediately activated, and in line with EU legislation a 3 km radius protection zone and 10 km radius surveillance zone were put in place around the location of the finding. The main effect of these controls was a requirement for any poultry in the protection zone to be housed. They also imposed restrictions on movement of poultry and poultry products in the area and the wider 10 km surveillance zone. The state veterinary service have subsequently carried out clinical inspection and sampling of all flocks within the protection zone and all flocks in the surveillance zone have been clinically inspected.

Further laboratory results obtained on 6 April confirmed high pathogenic avian influenza H5N1. As a precautionary measure the decision was taken to require the housing of birds in a wider area, known as the wild bird risk area, covering Fife, parts of Kincardineshire, Angus and Perthshire. The decision was based on veterinary, scientific and ornithological expert advice, and the proximity of important waters where there are swans and other wild birds. In additional to the housing requirement a ban on bird gatherings within the 2,500 sq km approximate area was also introduced, and wild bird surveillance has been intensified.

On 11 April DNA sequencing completed by the Central Science Laboratory in York confirmed that the bird was a whooper swan. In a joint statement the UK CVOs confirmed their current hypothesis that the swan originated from outside of Great Britain. The movement of swans associated with cold weather and on migration has been a feature of the recent avian influenza cases in wild birds across Europe. Based on this finding a further veterinary risk assessment has been carried out which concluded that the current measures put in place in relation to the discovery of H5N1 in the swan are adequate and proportionate. I have placed copies of the risk assessment in the House Libraries. The date for the lifting of the wild bird risk area is being kept under review and is subject to any further findings of H5N1 avian influenza in the area.

Animal health in Scotland is a devolved matter. Scottish Ministers are leading on the current bird flu situation in Scotland. However, Great Britain is seen as a single epidemiological unit, and both Defra officials and those in the devolved administrations are working very closely together, as they always do in this area.

Efforts were made to reassure the public that there is no reason for public health concern. avian influenza is a disease of birds and whilst it can pass very rarely and with difficulty to humans evidence suggests that this requires extremely close contact with infected birds.

We continue to monitor the situation, working closely with stakeholders to minimise the impact on the poultry industry and the wider rural economy and society. I will continue to keep the House informed as more information becomes available on the current incident, and the studies on epidemiological, surveillance and laboratory tests that are now in progress worldwide.