Recommendation 12

UKHSA’s purpose is to prevent, prepare for and respond to infectious diseases and environmental hazards, and to provide scientific and operational leadership to protect the public’s health and to build the nation’s health security capability.UKHSA owns high containment science laboratories at Porton Down and Colindale, which are nearing the end of their operational life.16 These laboratories are a critical part of UKHSA’s health protection mission and are required for protecting the nation against highly infectious diseases. In 2024, UKHSA assured the previous Committee that, with ongoing maintenance, its laboratories should be able to continue operating for another fifteen years.17 However, the laboratories are currently dependent upon remedial investment to keep them in operation, resulting in periods of time where facilities are unavailable as they are being updated. In 2024, UKHSA acknowledged that reliance on these ageing facilities presents a significant but managed risk to public health.18