Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
52nd Report - Resilience to threats from animal disease
Public Accounts Committee
HC 885
Published 5 November 2025
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Fifth-second report from Session 2024-26 · published 19 Jan 2026
Recommendations & Conclusions
9
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Provide an update on developing a comprehensive long-term strategy for animal diseases
Conclusion
The Department does not have an overarching long-term strategy for strengthening resilience to the increasing risk from animal diseases. The Department has several strategic programmes underway to strengthen resilience to animal diseases, including the redevelopment of the National Biosecurity Centre …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees to the recommendation, stating it will examine strategic themes to strengthen long-term resilience to animal disease and integrate interdependencies from other related strategies and reforms. It implicitly commits to providing an update on this strategy's development in 18 months.
HM Treasury
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15
Conclusion
Acknowledged
APHA's surveillance activities are inefficient and not risk-based, requiring multi-year reform.
Conclusion
APHA pointed out that its current surveillance activities are not risk-based or efficient, which results in APHA returning to a location on a regular basis even though it finds no issues. APHA is starting work to move to a more …
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Government Response Summary
APHA's surveillance activities are undertaken in accordance with a defined process, with initiatives underway to deliver risk-based and efficient surveillance activities, and APHA will have a clear plan with milestones within six months to track delivery of audit recommendations. By February 2027, APHA will review all surveillance activities to ensure a targeted, risk-based approach.
HM Treasury
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23
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Multi-species livestock tracing system programme experienced significant resets due to technical issues
Conclusion
The Department first started work to create a digital, multi-species, UK-wide tracing system in 2013 and acknowledged that it has been working on this for a long time. It explained that the original concept of using an off- the-shelf solution …
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Government Response Summary
The government will introduce changes to cattle identification, registration and reporting from summer 2026, including mandatory Electronic Identification (EID) for all new-born calves from 2027 and a new cattle movement reporting system. Expansion to cover additional species is planned from 2027 onwards.
HM Treasury
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25
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Differing devolved administrations' decisions hinder full integration of UK animal tracing systems
Conclusion
Animal diseases do not respect national borders, but the Department confirmed that implementing animal tracing systems is a devolved matter. The Department explained that its livestock tracing programme director meets regularly with the devolved administrations. However, it also highlighted that …
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Government Response Summary
The government will introduce changes to cattle identification, registration and reporting from summer 2026, including mandatory Electronic Identification (EID) for all new-born calves from 2027 and a new cattle movement reporting system. Expansion to cover additional species is planned from 2027 onwards.
HM Treasury
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