Recommendation 8

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 managed.14 The Department stated that it thought there was a good understanding across government of the threats posed by animal diseases and zoonotic diseases, and that it will continue to have conversations across government to ensure this understanding is maintained. However, we remain concerned that the Department’s animal disease and public health voice across government is not strong enough.15 The deterioration and delayed redevelopment of the Weybridge site also suggests that managing the risks from animal diseases has not historically been given the necessary priority.16 The historical management of the Weybridge site