Investigation into UKHSA Health Security Campus

The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) high-containment labs are central to protecting the population against potentially highly infectious diseases. Existing sites at Porton Down and Colindale are nearing the end of their operational life, with an infrastructure enhancement and replacement programme in process. The National Audit Office (NAO) reported in February 2024 that UKHSA estimates the cost for relocating facilities to a site in Harlow at £3.2billion. The Treasury indicated in 2020 that it would fund £2billion in programme costs. UKHSA has found that while relocation to Harlow provides best value for money, it cannot be delivered for £2billion. Little progress has been made on the Harlow site, with £400m spent on the programme since 2015. The Committee’s 2022 report on animal health infrastructure warned that government’s main animal disease facility at Weybridge had been left to deteriorate to an alarming extent, and urged government not to allow the situation to be repeated. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) identified the need to invest in public health high containment labs as early as 2006. Based on the NAO report, the Committee will hear from senior officials at UKHSA and the Department for Health and Social Care on subjects including progress on the programme and what lessons learned were learned and put into practice from the Weybridge site. If you have evidence on these issues, please submit it here by 23:59 on 26 April 2024. Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere. This inquiry was closed due to the 2024 General Election.