Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 15 Jan 2025 Closed: 21 Aug 2025 Parliament page
Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections cause an estimated 1.3m deaths globally each year, and rising, and lead to the failure of antibiotics for treating human illness. 67,000 people experienced an AMR infection in 2023. 2,200 of those people died. The UN has predicted that by 2050, AMR will cause 10m or more … Read more
18 Recommendations
28 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Event
Activity timeline 4 events
18 Sep
2025
Report published
13 Jun
2025
Report published
27 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
27 Mar
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
27 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Abigail Seager · Defra Dr David Partridge · Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Professor Sir Chris Whitty · Department for Health and Social Care Professor Sir Stephen Powis · NHS England Professor Susan Hopkins · UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) The Lord O'Neill of Gatley
Title HC No. Published Items Response
30th Report - Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks HC 646 13 Jun 2025 46 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
12 Conclusion Acknowledged
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Most domestic targets in 2019-24 AMR National Action Plan remained unachieved
As part of its 2019–24 National Action Plan for AMR, the third UK plan of its kind, the government set five domestic targets. These related to levels of drug-resistant and Gram-negative bloodstream infections (named after a bacteria-testing method and are … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the observation and details its processes for closely monitoring and annually reviewing NAP human health targets, using data and expert advice to guide future action and potential revisions.
HM Treasury
View details
14 Conclusion Acknowledged
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Increasing threat from highly resistant Gram-negative infections with limited treatment options
Dr Partridge told us that there is also an increasing threat in the UK from strains of pathogens which cause Gram-negative infections that are more likely to be resistant and more likely to result in the death of the patient. … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the observation, stating it monitors progress against targets biannually and reviews them annually, with UKHSA modelling trends and seeking expert advice on revisions, but acknowledges that preventing an increase in these infections is ambitious.
HM Treasury
View details
16 Conclusion Acknowledged
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Government's 2019-24 AMR action plan targets largely unmet with slow progress.
The government achieved only one of the five quantitative domestic targets it set as part of the 2019–24 NAP–reducing the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals.41 The 2019–24 NAP also set 128 commitments for DHSC and Defra which related to … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the observation of past progress, and states it will monitor progress against new NAP targets biannually, conduct annual reviews, and use surveillance trends and modelling to inform future target ambition, while acknowledging the challenge of preventing increases in some infections.
HM Treasury
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 46 of 18 classified
Accepted 41
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 3
Not Addressed 1
Total 18 recs + 28 conclusions