Recommendation 9

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 facility equipped to deal with most zoonotic diseases.17 The Chief Veterinary Officer explained that the site is not only important for responding to animal disease outbreaks, but also 8 Q 2 9 National Audit Office, COVID-19 cost tracker, June 2022. 10 Qq 2, 26 11 Qq 66–67 12 HM Government, National Risk Register – 2020 edition, 2020 13 Qq 25–26, 64–65; C&AG’s Report, paragraph 1.2 14 Qq 63, 66–67 15 Q 66–67 16 Qq 4, 10–11 17 C&AG’s Report, para 1.4 Redevelopment of Defra’s animal health infrastructure 11 for the ongoing surveillance to detect animal diseases. She highlighted the increasing requirement to provide confirmation to trading partners that animal and animal product exports have been tested to international standards.18