§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what action he is taking to investigate the reasons for repeated high mortality of certain species of imported wild birds including humming birds;
(2) whether, following the recent report by the joint Nature Conservation Committee, he has exchanged information with exporting and other importing countries concerning the mortality of imported wild birds;
(3) what measures he intends to take to reduce the rate of mortality among wild-caught birds which are imported into the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. MacleanThe Government share the concern about the mortality levels of birds in trade, which we consider unacceptably high. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment and I wrote recently to the European Commissioners for the Environment and Agriculture, urging that action should be taken through the Community to ensure much stricter controls on this trade. We have asked, among other things, for measures to be drawn up to address the problem of trade in species which are particularly vulnerable to stress and mortality as a result of transport or captivity. In relation to the conditions of transport, the Community has recently agreed a new directive on the protection of all types of animals including birds during transport. This contains some important new provisions including a requirement for 711W air transport to be carried out in accordance with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines. It also, following pressure from the British Government for specific action on this issue, requires the Council to adopt further conditions on transport of wild birds.
Carcases of birds dead on arrival or which die in quarantine are examined at veterinary investigation centres for evidence of infectious diseases which could spread to the national poultry flock. During these investigations it has been established that the most common cause of death is considered to be stress associated with malnutrition, dehydration, adverse environmental condition or enteropathies. Other specific causes of death recorded are salmonellosis, psittacosis, mycotic pneumonia and colisepticaemia. In relation to nectar feeders such as hummingbirds mortality is considered likely to be associated with difficulties in adapting to an artificial feeding regime.
The Department is reviewing animal health conditions and health certification requirements for imports to ensure that only birds which are healthy and fit to travel are exported from their country of origin. Senior ministry veterinary officials have visited a number of major exporting countries to discuss with their veterinary authorities various animal health and welfare matters, the standard of health certification and the conditions under which future imports of captive birds would take place, and have made it clear that we will cease to authorise imports from countries which fail to co-operate. Letters have been sent to airlines to emphasise the importance of complying with IATA rules and of reviewing their handling procedures. There is an ongoing review of quarantine premises and their operational standards, the level of veterinary supervision and stocking rates. Additional training has been instituted for official veterinary officers responsible for approving and supervising quarantine premises.
Copies of the Ministry's annual mortality statistics among imported birds are circulated widely to various interests including importing and exporting countries.