Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted
Clarify accountability, oversight, and delivery partner arrangements for the Harlow health security campus programme.
Recommendation
We asked UKHSA what progress it had made in deciding what it would do with the site. UKHSA told us that it was waiting for Ministers to decide whether to continue development at Harlow or to change course to a phased delivery option providing high containment facilities at Porton Down with later refurbishment of supporting infrastructure at Porton Down and Colindale. UKHSA told us that this decision was under “active review” by Ministers and that it expected a decision to be made in the second part of the spending review. It recognised that this was “now quite a critical decision in terms of timeframe, because it takes a long time to build … [and] commission them into service.” UKHSA informed us that that the decision–making process was difficult and prolonged because the relative costs and benefits of each option are finely balanced and difficult to compare. To ensure that it was ready for a decision either way, UKHSA said that it was working with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority to ensure its model for overseeing the programme included sufficient technical expertise.21 The Department should clarify the arrangements for accountability, oversight, and the involvement and status of delivery partners as soon as possible. 21 Qq 47–50 14 2 Protecting taxpayers’ money The continuing impact of clinical negligence
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, committing to finalise the delivery model and associated commercial strategy, including accountability and oversight arrangements, by Spring 2026, following a decision on UKHSA's high-containment laboratory location and completion of a programme business case.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2026 3.2 The government recognises that an urgent decision is needed on the future location of UKHSA’s high-containment laboratories. A thorough assessment of options has been conducted to identify the most cost-effective and time-efficient solution, and a decision will be taken following the outcome of the spending review process now that overall capital funding limits have been set out. 3.3 Following this decision, UKHSA will finalise the delivery model and the associated commercial strategy in collaboration with key partners such as DHSC, HM Treasury and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) which will be fully implemented by Spring 2026 following the completion of a programme business case. 3.4 As previously set out to the Committee in the letter dated 24 November 2024, UKHSA has appointed a new senior responsible owner and programme director as part of the Agency's ongoing efforts to strengthen programme governance, strategic leadership and establishing clear lines of accountability to enable effective delivery.