Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
The Cabinet Office recognised that the UK needs to further strengthen international cooperation and noted...
Conclusion
The Cabinet Office recognised that the UK needs to further strengthen international cooperation and noted that this will be a central feature of the UK resilience strategy. The Department stated that the UK is seeking a new pandemic treaty through the WHO that would place greater obligations on countries and that it would welcome the introduction of an early international alert level, prior to the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.20 To foster public debate on existential risks to the whole of mankind, which cannot be mitigated by nations individually but require a long-term, concerted international effort, the Cabinet Office stated that it is considering including a commentary on existential risks in the next edition of the National Risk Register. The Cabinet Office pointed to efforts to tackle climate change and to regulatory work on general- purpose artificial intelligence as examples of work being carried out internationally on specific existential risks.21
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
4: PAC conclusion: The pandemic has highlighted the critical role of international collaboration for managing the risks that the UK faces. 4: PAC recommendation: Government should set out how it intends to drive greater international collaboration on risks, including exchanging information on threats, promoting and integrating mutual learning and coordinating responses across borders. 4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 4.2 The government is working to build on the UK’s existing international collaborations including strong bilateral and multilateral relationships, to drive greater and broader collaboration on the global stage. The UK plays an active role in multilateral fora (such as G7/G20, WHO, NATO and the UN) that exchange best practice and mutual learning on risk, and with bilateral partners. During the UK’s 2021 G7 Presidency, the government secured commitments on critical global health risks and is now working closely with the German 2022 G7 Presidency including on Goal 3: enhanced preparedness for healthy lives. The government continues to support the Global Health Security Initiative (GHSI), an informal international partnership founded in 2001 to strengthen public health preparedness for a range of risks including CBRN threats. 4.3. The UK plays a global leadership role on health security and is engaging with the WHO on critical issues to support cross-border coordination, including a proposed instrument on pandemic preparedness. UKHSA provides expert input to WHO on public health and strengthening global health security architecture, including through the International Pathogen Surveillance Network. The government funds the One Health Intelligence Scoping Study, to help strengthen existing surveillance systems and harmonise information systems amongst international organisations. 4.4 The government continues to promote rapid intelligence sharing across the broadest possible range of partners, building on existing agreements such as the health security arrangements agreed as part of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which support effective UK-EU information sharing in the event of a serious cross-border threat to health.