The government partially accepts this recommendation. As highlighted by the Committees, previous exercises such as Cygnus and Winter Willow did not squarely address a disease with the characteristics of COVID-19. The government acknowledges that lessons should have been better identified and implemented from previous exercises. However, as the Committees recognise, useful lessons were learned and applied, such as the drafting of legislative measures that might be needed, which were of benefit as the pandemic progressed. Exercise Alice, carried out in 2016, specifically looked at a novel influenza pandemic, with the final report of the exercise shared with relevant stakeholders, including the NHS. In the past, the UK has been internationally recognised as having robust planning assumptions and strong foundations for pandemic preparedness. Drawing on the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government is taking steps to improve its preparedness for future pandemics. This includes: ● Developing a new pandemic preparedness strategy, which will set out a comprehensive plan for how the UK will prepare for and respond to future pandemics. ● Investing in research and development to improve understanding of infectious diseases and develop new tools to prevent and treat them. ● Working with international partners to strengthen global pandemic preparedness. These measures will help to ensure that the UK is better prepared for future pandemics and that the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic are fully integrated into government planning.