Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 34
30th Report - Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks
Published 13 Jun 2025
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Several organisations carry out research on AMR, including DHSC and UKHSA who are responsible for funding some of this research, for example through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) which reported that it funded £88 million of AMR research as part of the 2019–24 NAP.87 Much AMR research is also carried out globally outside of the UK and the government must monitor this carefully as well.88 During the 2024–29 NAP, funding for research on AMR will be steered by the top 10 research priorities of the 2024–29 NAP.89 It is important that sufficient resourcing, prioritisation and focus on implementation is placed on scientific research to reduce the threat of AMR.90 A submission we received from RAND Europe argued for the need for careful prioritisation and translating research into specific improvements.91 82 Qq 43, 50 83 Qq 3, 17; Elita Jauneikaite, Prof Kate S Baker, Jamie G Nunn, Janet T Midega, Prof Li Yang Hsu, Shweta R Singh, et al., ‘Genomics for antimicrobial resistance surveillance to support infection prevention and control in health-care facilities’, The Lancet Microbe, volume 4, issue 12, December 2023 84 C&AG’s Report, paras 3.13–3.14 85 Q 26 86 Qq 100–101 87 NIHR, Tackling antimicrobial resistance with investment and innovation, October 2024 88 World Health Organisation, Global research agenda for antimicrobial resistance in human health, June 2023 89 C&AG’s Report, para 19 90 Qq 43, 101–102 91 AR0002 19 Antibiotic subscription model
From: Public Accounts Committee, 30th Report - Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks (HC 646), 13 June 2025
Government response
Latest Treasury Minutes progress report to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirtieth Report of Session 2024-26
The government responded to the whole report on 4 June 2026 (deadline 13 August 2025).
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirtieth report from Session 2024-26
Published 18 September 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it agrees with the Committee's recommendations on antimicrobial resistance, and sets out target implementation dates ranging from Winter 2025 to Autumn 2027.
- On progress against targets, the government agrees, and says targets are subject to annual review over the summer, "with the potential to revise, if deemed appropriate and agreed by the UK AMR Strategy Board".
- On transparency, it agrees and says the government "will publish the first of these reports by the autumn", describing activity during the first year of the 2024-2029 National Action Plan.
- On diagnostics, it agrees (target date Spring 2027) and says engagement will inform an "infection diagnostics framework" by 2027, with point-of-care test pilots reporting in 2026-2027.
- On wastewater, it agrees (target date Autumn 2027); the department "will provide a full response via a White Paper in Autumn 2025" and "will commission further research" on evidence gaps "by Summer 2026".