Avian Influenza: Vaccination
Commons · Question 110549 · Tabled 3 Feb 2026 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Official record
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Question
Asked by Manuela Perteghella
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
Answered by Dame Angela Eagle, 10 Feb 2026
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 ...