The requested information on expenditure and maintenance costs is not held in the format requested, and obtaining it would incur disproportionate cost. Porton Down and Colindale do not have separate operational costs, as work for various programmes is undertaken across both sites, and costs are considered at a programme level.

The sites have regular infrastructure and condition surveys, to ensure they are appropriately maintained. The required tactical investments are made to keep the sites viable and effective, pending future strategic investments. Sites are regularly inspected by regulators, including the Health and Safety Executive and the Home Office, which provides assurance that the sites are compliant.

The UK Biological Security Strategy was published in June 2023, setting out the vision, mission, and priorities to protect the United Kingdom and its interests from significant biological risks, no matter how they occur and no matter who, or what, they affect. Further information on the strategy is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-biological-security-strategy

The UK Health Security Agency’s Porton Down and Colindale scientific campus sites do not have separate operational costs for the Category 4 laboratories. Spend on the maintenance and operation of these sites is provided through the spending review process.

Work is ongoing to establish the most robust approach for continued delivery of the high-quality science at Porton Down

The Department and UK Health Security Agency are currently considering the plans for developing a health security campus in Harlow, and the alternatives for developing laboratory facilities at Porton Down. This acknowledges the post-pandemic landscape and reflects continuing annual investment in lab infrastructure. In addition, further assessments of scope, investment costs, lifecycle costs, and delivery risks are being conducted to assure plans for the programme.

As set out in the National Audit Office’s report, the cost estimate for the programme has increased for many reasons, including prolongation, inflation, additional VAT, delays caused by organisational change and the pandemic, as well as essential design changes due to regulatory and technological change.

Detailed design evaluations with construction partners resulted in a reset and extension of the schedule in 2020. Since then, cycles of strategic review, high level investment appraisal, organisational change, and learning from the pandemic have led to further delays to the schedule.

The Government is actively considering its options for investment to replace and modernise the UK Health Security Agency’s laboratories, including those at Porton Down, to ensure the best public health outcomes and value for money.