Bird show clubs will not be helped

12.00.00am GMT Fri 21st Dec 2007

Collard Dove

Hopes that the Government might be persuaded to pay compensation to bird show clubs who were forced to cancel shows because of the Avian Flu scare have been dashed.

Colchester MP Bob Russell took up the case of clubs such as the Colchester Cage Bird Society who last month had to cancel their annual show after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs imposed a national ban on bird shows.

But in a Written Answer to a Parliamentary Question tabled by Mr Russell, Environment Minister Mr Jonathan Shaw ruled out giving any compensation for costs incurred for cancelled shows. He said: "No Government could commit itself to insure bird keepers against the cost of all the losses resulting, directly or indirectly, from disease outbreaks or the action taken to deal with them "

The Minister revealed that the Government had received "a small number of representations" from cage bird societies and other organisations who had been forced to cancel events as a result of the ban on bird gatherings following the recent Avian Influenza outbreak.

He added: "It is a long established principle that the Government does not meet the costs of consequential losses due to disease control measures."

Expressing disappointment that the Government had refused to offer any financial compensation, Mr Russell pointed out that groups such as the Colchester Cage Bird Society were a voluntary organisation who - through no fault of their own - faced a loss of more than £500. "I am told that wildfowl farmers affected by the outbreak can claim compensation, but cage bird societies cannot. That does not seem fair."

The Colchester Cage Bird Society's annual show would have been attended by an estimated 1,200 bird fanciers.