Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Accepted
Aging Weybridge facilities make guaranteeing operations during 10-year redevelopment increasingly difficult
Conclusion
In 2017, the Department started a programme to redevelop Weybridge. In the 2025 Spending Review, the government committed £1 billion over the period 2025–26 to 2029–30 to continue the redevelopment, with a total estimated cost of £2.8 billion.27 In correspondence received after our evidence session, the Department stated that the overall redevelopment programme will be completed in 2034–35, with interim laboratory facilities completed in 2027 and 2028 to allow operations to continue while the new National Biosecurity Centre is built.28 The Department said that managing the risk of failure during the interim 10-year period was a very high priority. APHA explained that it has contingency plans in place to deal with any outages at the site and also to enable it to move activities around as the redevelopment continues. However, APHA acknowledged that managing this process will become increasingly difficult as the facilities at Weybridge continue to age and it could not guarantee that operations would remain at Weybridge for the entirety of the 10-year period.29 24 C&AG’s Report, paras 17, 3.10 25 Q 26 26 C&AG’s Report, para 3.10 27 Q 28; C&AG’s report, para 17 28 Letter from Defra to Committee, 18 September 2025 29 Qq 26, 28-30 13 Livestock tracing
Government Response Summary
The department will provide the Committee with an annual update on its progress redeveloping Weybridge.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 18 5.2 The department wrote to the Committee on 18 September 2025 setting out the programme’s strategic plan. The department will provide the Committee with an annual update on its progress.