To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the regulation of wild bird imports of the non-EU species proposed by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee for inclusion in Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 has changed since the EU banned bird imports because of concerns over avian influenza. (190441)

The EU ban on the import of wild birds has meant that, other than birds imported for conservation programmes, only captive-bred birds from approved breeding establishments have been permitted for import into the EU. These, and those birds imported for conservation programmes, must undergo a period of quarantine.

Birds of prey, such as those proposed by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee for inclusion in Schedule 4, that are imported under exemptions from the ban continue to be subject to the controls under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether birds imported into the UK from other EU member states with Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species sales certificates may be traced for DNA testing if required. (191014)

There are no import controls between EU member states. CITES listed birds moved within Europe for commercial purposes will require a certificate issued under Article 10 of Regulation EC No 338/97 by the member state of its origin.

If the bird in question is noted as being captive bred, and provided the parent birds are available for examination, it would be possible for the bird's ancestry to be established through DNA analysis of blood or tissue. This would of course require the co-operation of the CITES management authority of the member state in question.