Redevelopment of Defra’s animal health infrastructure
Public Accounts Committee
Closed
Inquiry
The UK faces a significant threat from animal diseases, such as Bovine Tuberculosis - which is the subject of controversy over the badger culling that has traditionally been used to control it - and ‘zoonotic’ diseases which can transmit from animals to humans – as is believed to have been …
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15
Recommendations
21
Conclusions
1
Report
1
Oral session
1
Event
Activity timeline 4 events
24 Feb
2023
2023
16 Nov
2022
2022
13 Jul
2022
2022
Oral evidence
13 Jul
2022
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
13 Jul 2022
View on parliament.uk
Redevelopment of Defra’s animal health infrastructure
Colin Dingwall · Animal and Plant Health Agency
David Holdsworth · Animal and Plant Health Agency
Professor Christine Middlemiss · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Sarah Homer · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Tamara Finkelstein · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopment of Defra’s animal health in… | HC 42 | 16 Nov 2022 | 36 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
36 results
2
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department has allowed the Weybridge site to deteriorate to a completely unacceptable degree, through...
The Department has allowed the Weybridge site to deteriorate to a completely unacceptable degree, through a combination of inadequate management and under investment. The Department has not managed the Weybridge site as an important national asset. It has not had …
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Government Response
The government agreed and stated that Asset Management lessons learnt have been included in the procurement for the new Workplace and Facilities Management contract, and that the Weybridge site will have a dedicated Technical Services team with an increase of around 50% in technical management.
HM Treasury
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3
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Weybridge site is continually vulnerable to a major breakdown which would severely impact the...
The Weybridge site is continually vulnerable to a major breakdown which would severely impact the APHA’s operations including responding to disease outbreaks. The Department and the APHA rate the risk of a major breakdown of facilities at the Weybridge site …
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Government Response
The government agreed and will stress test their contingency plans and are regularly reviewing plans and running critical incident exercises, and is also in conversation with other cross government laboratories and partners.
HM Treasury
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4
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
It is not yet certain that there will be sufficient investment in developing Weybridge’s capacity...
It is not yet certain that there will be sufficient investment in developing Weybridge’s capacity to ensure the UK’s long-term resilience to animal diseases. It is vital that the UK has the right science facilities to ensure its long-term resilience …
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Government Response
The government agreed and will work with HM Treasury to establish a more certain funding position, refine its understanding of costs and benefits, and update the Committee via Treasury Minutes; £198 million has been allocated for preparatory work.
HM Treasury
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5
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
There remains substantial uncertainty over the costs of the Weybridge redevelopment programme.
There remains substantial uncertainty over the costs of the Weybridge redevelopment programme. In developing its Programme Business Case the Department did more detailed work to understand the costs of the Programme. This increased its cost estimate from £1.2 billion in …
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Government Response
The government agreed and will continue to develop its cost estimate, introduce cost ranges, and reflect uncertainty in those costings for the main investment decision in 2024.
HM Treasury
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6
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
There is a risk that the Weybridge redevelopment programme will not have sufficient staff capability...
There is a risk that the Weybridge redevelopment programme will not have sufficient staff capability and capacity to manage the Programme effectively. The Weybridge site is nationally important in the UK’s defence against animal diseases. The Department confirmed that the …
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Government Response
The government agrees and is reviewing capacity and capability requirements for the programme, using all available levers to secure expert resources including specialist allowances and via its supply chain.
HM Treasury
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7
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The redevelopment of Weybridge is a large construction programme with a range of commercial risks...
The redevelopment of Weybridge is a large construction programme with a range of commercial risks that will need careful management. The Weybridge redevelopment programme will have a range of contracts covering professional services and construction. The Department recognises the challenges …
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Government Response
The government agreed and stated that Commercial Strategy Phase II has been endorsed by the SCAH Programme Board and that by May 2023, the programme will have options around Science Hub form of contract and competition.
HM Treasury
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1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (the Department), the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Chief Veterinary Officer of the …
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Government Response
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation and will conduct an assessment with an update on how animal diseases are reflected, and will also describe the advice received from the SAGE sub-group.
HM Treasury
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8
Recommendation
Rejected
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
While the APHA and the Chief Veterinary Officer said that animal diseases had not gone...
While the APHA and the Chief Veterinary Officer said that animal diseases had not gone down in their priorities, the Department and the APHA said that animal disease is one amongst a range of national risks that need to be …
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Government Response
The government disagrees with the recommendation, stating that Defra already highlights the threat from animal diseases in the National Risk Register and participates in other risk assessment processes.
HM Treasury
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9
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The APHA’s Weybridge site is the UK’s primary science capability for managing threats from animal...
The APHA’s Weybridge site is the UK’s primary science capability for managing threats from animal diseases. It houses 98% of the APHA’s high containment laboratories. It is the APHA’s main site for running long-term animal health studies and the only …
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Government Response
The government response only includes a restatement of the committee's conclusion and doesn't provide any additional information.
HM Treasury
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10
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Chief Veterinary Officer and the APHA emphasised that the Weybridge site is also the...
The Chief Veterinary Officer and the APHA emphasised that the Weybridge site is also the centre for an important programme of research.19 There are currently seven research programmes at Weybridge. These programmes include the development of a Bovine Tuberculosis vaccine …
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HM Treasury
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11
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department recognised that it had failed to manage the Weybridge site properly given its...
The Department recognised that it had failed to manage the Weybridge site properly given its importance as a national asset. It said that it had approached the management of the site as if it was just a property asset, and …
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HM Treasury
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12
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
An illustration of the poor long-term management of the Weybridge site is the inappropriate facilities...
An illustration of the poor long-term management of the Weybridge site is the inappropriate facilities management contract. The Department explained that in 2009 it consolidated a number of facilities management contracts across its estate resulting in one contract covering a …
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HM Treasury
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13
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
We questioned the Department about why it has taken such a long time to put...
We questioned the Department about why it has taken such a long time to put in place a redevelopment programme for Weybridge given the importance of the site. The Department explained that it first recognised there were significant problems in …
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HM Treasury
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14
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department confirmed that there have not been any serious breakdowns at the Weybridge site...
The Department confirmed that there have not been any serious breakdowns at the Weybridge site in recent years. The last major incident was in 2014 when backup generators failed, resulting in a loss of power to some of the high-containment …
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HM Treasury
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15
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The National Audit Office highlighted that a review of the Weybridge site in 2021 found...
The National Audit Office highlighted that a review of the Weybridge site in 2021 found more than 1,000 examples of “single points of failure – where loss of the system or asset will cause major catastrophic disruption to operations”.29 The …
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HM Treasury
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16
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department stated that it has a structure where risks are managed across the Weybridge...
The Department stated that it has a structure where risks are managed across the Weybridge site through its Science Facilities Joint Management Board. It also stated that the Department’s board and executive committee scrutinise the risks and mitigations at the …
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HM Treasury
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17
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Chief Veterinary Officer explained that a major breakdown, resulting in reduced high containment laboratory...
The Chief Veterinary Officer explained that a major breakdown, resulting in reduced high containment laboratory capacity at the Weybridge site, would make it more difficult to respond to a major animal disease outbreak. For example, a major Foot and Mouth …
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HM Treasury
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18
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department and the APHA set out how the Weybridge redevelopment programme will provide the...
The Department and the APHA set out how the Weybridge redevelopment programme will provide the flexible laboratory facilities to improve the UK’s resilience to animal diseases in the long-term.35 However, it also recognised that it needs to mitigate the risks …
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HM Treasury
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19
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Chief Veterinary Officer clearly set out the importance of having modern, flexible laboratory facilities...
The Chief Veterinary Officer clearly set out the importance of having modern, flexible laboratory facilities to ensure the UK is resilient to animal diseases. The Department and the APHA highlighted the importance of the redevelopment of Weybridge to ensure this …
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HM Treasury
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20
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Chief Veterinary Officer explained that animal disease outbreaks are ranked on a scale from...
The Chief Veterinary Officer explained that animal disease outbreaks are ranked on a scale from one to five with five being the most severe outbreak level and that the current assessment is that the UK has the capacity to cope …
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HM Treasury
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21
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The APHA and Chief Veterinary Officer cited the recent example of Avian Influenza.
The APHA and Chief Veterinary Officer cited the recent example of Avian Influenza. This is likely to be categorised as a level three outbreak. While the APHA said that it had coped well in managing this outbreak it had to …
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HM Treasury
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22
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Chief Veterinary Officer and the APHA confirmed that the Weybridge site does not have...
The Chief Veterinary Officer and the APHA confirmed that the Weybridge site does not have ACDP (Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens) level four high containment laboratory facilities. This is the highest containment level relating to diseases where there is a …
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HM Treasury
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23
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department started work on its Weybridge redevelopment programme in 2017, but has changed the...
The Department started work on its Weybridge redevelopment programme in 2017, but has changed the scope of the programme over time. Its Strategic Outline Case (June 2018) and Outline Business Case (March 2020) were focused on a construction programme to …
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HM Treasury
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24
Conclusion
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The National Audit Office set out that HM Treasury approved funding of £1.2 billion for...
The National Audit Office set out that HM Treasury approved funding of £1.2 billion for the Weybridge redevelopment programme in March 2020, below the Department’s current cost estimate of £2.8 billion. The Department confirmed that this includes agreed funding of …
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HM Treasury
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25
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department stated that its Programme Business Case had set out a number of options...
The Department stated that its Programme Business Case had set out a number of options about the size and number of laboratories and the level of containment. Both the Department and the APHA said that they saw ACDP level four …
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Government Response
The government agrees to work with HM Treasury to establish a more certain funding position for the Weybridge redevelopment program and will refine its understanding of the costs and benefits, required by Summer 2024, and allocated £198 million for preparatory work, with a target implementation date of Summer 2024.
HM Treasury
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26
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department said that its Programme Business Case clearly sets out the trade and economic...
The Department said that its Programme Business Case clearly sets out the trade and economic benefits of increasing the UK’s resilience to animal diseases. However, it highlighted that quantifying and putting values to these benefits is challenging as the relationship …
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Government Response
The department will continue work across the first tranche of the programme to refine its understanding of the costs and benefits, which will feed into the main investment decision for the redevelopment of the site, required in summer 2024.
HM Treasury
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27
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department explained that in developing the Programme Business Case for the Weybridge redevelopment it...
The Department explained that in developing the Programme Business Case for the Weybridge redevelopment it did significant additional work on its cost estimate. This was based on a more developed design for the Weybridge redevelopment than the Outline Business Case …
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Government Response
The government response only includes a restatement of the committee's conclusion and doesn't provide any additional information.
HM Treasury
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28
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department acknowledged that there remains substantial uncertainty over its cost estimate.
The Department acknowledged that there remains substantial uncertainty over its cost estimate. In particular, there are a lot of risks in undertaking this redevelopment programme on an operational site and more work is needed to understand these risks and the …
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Government Response
The government agrees to continue developing its cost estimate for the Weybridge redevelopment programme, clarifying uncertainties and using cost ranges, with a target implementation date of Summer 2024.
HM Treasury
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29
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department said that its Programme Business Case had built in substantial allowance for inflation,...
The Department said that its Programme Business Case had built in substantial allowance for inflation, approximately £360 million over the lifetime of the redevelopment programme. It stated that for the current phase of the programme up to 2024 it was …
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Government Response
The government agrees to continue developing its cost estimate for the Weybridge redevelopment programme, including the use of cost ranges to illustrate the level of uncertainty. Target implementation date is Summer 2024.
HM Treasury
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30
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department accepted that it had used single point estimates for its Programme Business Case...
The Department accepted that it had used single point estimates for its Programme Business Case cost estimate rather than ranges. The National Audit Office highlighted that the IPA considers the use of ranges as best practice. The Department confirmed that …
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Government Response
The government agrees to continue developing its cost estimate for the Weybridge redevelopment programme, clarifying uncertainties and using cost ranges, with a target implementation date of Summer 2024.
HM Treasury
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31
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The National Audit Office found that the Department has put in place many of the...
The National Audit Office found that the Department has put in place many of the elements for managing the Weybridge redevelopment programme well.57 The National Audit Office also highlighted that the redevelopment programme is high risk due to a range …
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Government Response
The government response only includes a restatement of the committee's conclusion and doesn't provide any additional information.
HM Treasury
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32
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department stated that the Weybridge redevelopment programme is very high on its risk register...
The Department stated that the Weybridge redevelopment programme is very high on its risk register and is part of its major programmes portfolio. As a result, it sees the programme as a priority area for staffing.59 The National Audit Office …
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Government Response
The government agrees to ensure that it has the right staff capability and capacity to deliver the Weybridge redevelopment programme, including a review of capacity and capability requirements for the full lifecycle of the programme. Target implementation date: June 2023
HM Treasury
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33
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
We asked the Department about progress it has made on the Government’s request to draw...
We asked the Department about progress it has made on the Government’s request to draw up plans to reduce staff numbers and how the Weybridge redevelopment programme would be accommodated within these plans. The Department stated that it is in …
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Government Response
The government agrees to ensure the Weybridge redevelopment programme has sufficient staff capability and capacity and will report back on its plans after finalising wider staff reduction plans, with a target implementation date of June 2023. The programme continues to recruit and is reviewing capacity and capability requirements.
HM Treasury
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34
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The National Audit Office highlighted that the Weybridge redevelopment programme will have a range of...
The National Audit Office highlighted that the Weybridge redevelopment programme will have a range of contracts covering professional services and construction.62 The Department recognised the challenges of integrating a large number of suppliers and it told us that it has …
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Government Response
The government agrees to report back on progress in developing its commercial strategy for the Weybridge redevelopment, including contract structure and competition, with a target implementation date of June 2023. Commercial Strategy Phase II has been endorsed and Phase III is in development.
HM Treasury
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35
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department also recognised that it needs to build up its commercial capability to enable...
The Department also recognised that it needs to build up its commercial capability to enable it to act as an intelligent client and to manage the range of suppliers effectively. It stated that it had been too optimistic in its …
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Government Response
The government agrees to report back on progress in developing its commercial strategy for the Weybridge redevelopment, including contract structure and competition, with a target implementation date of June 2023. Commercial Strategy Phase II has been endorsed and Phase III is in development.
HM Treasury
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36
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth Report - Redevelopme…
The Department told us that it is concerned about the health and capacity of the...
The Department told us that it is concerned about the health and capacity of the market and sees a lack of supplier appetite to bid for the main construction contracts as a significant risk.65 It said that it has done …
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Government Response
The department will update the Committee in six months via Treasury Minute, by May 2023, the programme will have options around Science Hub form of contract and competition.
HM Treasury
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