Recommendation 13

We questioned the Department about why it has taken such a long time to put in place a redevelopment programme for Weybridge given the importance of the site. The Department explained that it first recognised there were significant problems in 2015 after a number of issues had arisen on the site. This led to a range of critical work being undertaken between 2015 and 2017. In doing this work, it became clear that a more 18 Qq 2, 26 19 Qq 8, 19–20, 25 20 Qq 19, 28, 64 21 Q 2 22 Qq 4, 10–11 23 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.7, 1.9, 1.12 24 Qq 4, 10, 12–13; C&AG’s Report, para 1.15 25 Qq 10, 11, 18 12 Redevelopment of Defra’s animal health infrastructure strategic approach was needed. It was at that point in 2017 that the Department started work on the Weybridge redevelopment programme. The Department stated that it has taken time to build the right programme to deliver the new facilities, but also to transform the way the science is done at Weybridge.26 The risk of a major breakdown at the Weybridge site