Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Government plans two major exercises to test animal disease outbreak preparedness
Conclusion
The government is planning to test its preparedness to respond to outbreaks with two major exercises during 2025. Exercise Pegasus, which is a whole-of-government exercise led by the Department of Health and Social Care alongside the Cabinet Office, will take place this autumn to test preparedness for a pandemic of a zoonotic disease (one that can transfer from animals to humans). The Department confirmed it will publish a post-Exercise report. This will be followed by Exercise Aspen, which will specifically test preparedness for a foot and mouth disease outbreak.12 7 Qq 19-21 8 Q 1 9 Qq 1, 22 10 Cabinet Office, Local resilience forums: contact details 11 Q 25 12 Qq 4, 25; Letter from Defra to Committee, 18 September 2025 9 Vet vacancies
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 19 January 2026. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗