- His Majesty The King will visit the Animal and Plant Health
Agency today in Weybridge.
- Staff and scientists to be congratulated for their work
combatting the avian influenza outbreak in the UK and
support with Ukrainian refugee pet travel.
- Weybridge is renowned for its specialist research and
laboratory facilities, and its world-leading animal and plant
health science and disease control capabilities.
His Majesty The King will today
(Thursday 9th March) visit the
Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) in Weybridge to
congratulate scientists and staff for their work in combating the
largest-ever avian influenza outbreak in the
UK.
There have been over 330 cases
of avian influenza confirmed across the country since October
2021.
APHA’s world-leading scientists
and staff have played vital role in supporting avian influenza
diagnostics and disease control. Their work to tackle the
outbreak helps protect animal and public health but also supports
our international trading relationships.
His Majesty The King will
undertake a full tour which will involve briefings on some of
most difficult animal health diseases the world faces including
avian influenza and bovine TB as well as plant health challenges
including invasive non-native species. He will visit dedicated
specialist research laboratories to see genome mapping and a
mosquito laboratory where he will learn about APHA’s vector-borne
disease (VBD) programme.
Ahead of attending the
visit, , Minister for Biosecurity,
Marine and Rural Affairs, said:
“The Animal and Plant Health
Agency has a long-standing reputation for excellence in the field
of biosecurity and the work it does to protect the UK from animal
diseases, which in turn supports our economy and food
security.
“I’m pleased we can use today
to showcase our specialist world leading facilities.”
Also ahead of attending
the visit, Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss
said:
“Today’s visit really is about
recognising the last 18 months of remarkable work and the APHA
staff who have worked day in and day out to help control and
manage the spread of avian influenza.
“The scale of avian influenza
outbreaks across the UK and Europe has been unprecedented and our
response has been underpinned by the world-leading science and
disease control work carried out at
Weybridge.”
David Holdsworth, Chief
Executive Officer of APHA, said:
“APHA staff work tirelessly day
in day out to protect the UK, its people and economy from the
growing biosecurity threats we face. They have faced a relentless
battle against Avian Influenza over the last two years. So I am
pleased to welcome His Majesty The King to Weybridge to meet with
APHA staff from Scotland, Wales and England and see first-hand
the incredible work they do.
“I am proud to showcase our
world-leading scientists, field teams and staff and the role they
play in protecting the country.”
The Government is committed to
the strongest possible standards of protection against animal
diseases and is investing in the long-term future of the
Weybridge facility, including £1.4bn of funding for the Science
Capability in Animal Health Programme. The investment is in
recognition of the vital work APHA does to contribute to our
economic and food security.
Alongside the Government’s
continued investment in the Avian Influenza National Reference
Laboratory and APHA’s Weybridge site, Defra and the Biotechnology
and Biosciences Research Council (BBSRC) fund an eight-strong
consortium ‘FluMap’ led by APHA that received £1.5 million in
funding to develop new strategies to tackle avian influenza
outbreaks.
His Majesty The King will also
meet APHA staff who were instrumental in helping those fleeing
from Ukraine to safely bring their pets into the UK. APHA staff
worked tirelessly to enable Ukrainians to bring much loved family
pets with them to the UK while keeping the country safe from
diseases such as rabies.
The UK has some
of the highest biosecurity
standards in the
world. We have taken swift
action to protect poultry from
the threat of avian influenza. Avian
Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZs) are in force across the UK
with additional mandatory housing measures in force in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland. These enhanced biosecurity measures
which apply to all bird keepers have been vital in successfully
protecting flocks across the country from avian
influenza.
ENDS
Notes to
editors:
- For any interview bids for , CVO Christine Middlemiss and
David Holdsworth, Chief Executive Officer APHA please get in
touch with Defra press office.
- The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive
agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural
Affairs, and also works on behalf of the Scottish Government and
Welsh Government.
- You can read more about APHA’s responsibilities here.
