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 had not recognised the wider importance of the science capability and the elements that are required to support that. The Department also confirmed that there had been a lack of investment during the 2000s.22 The National Audit Office highlighted that the Department had not had an appropriate strategy in place to manage the site over the past 20 years, or regular consideration of the strategic management of Weybridge at its board. It also highlighted the lack of investment in laboratory capacity and on-going maintenance.23