Weybridge research institute gets £200m cash injection

The UK’s ability to deal with a major disease outbreak is being strengthened with a new £200m “science hub” at the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (Apha) Weybridge laboratories.

Weybridge is the UK’s main facility for managing the threat posed by the spread of diseases carried by animals, many of which are a significant threat to public health, the food and farming sector, the wider economy and the environment.

See also: Weybridge ‘not fit for purpose’, say MPs

An inquiry in 2022 found that the site had deteriorated to a point that left the UK vulnerable to a major outbreak, perhaps on the scale of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease crisis.

It warned there were also real threats from diseases like African swine fever and rabies.

It led to Defra drawing up a £2.8bn redevelopment programme, and £200m has now been committed to that.

Biosecurity

The money will be spent on replacing and upgrading biosecurity facilities at Weybridge, creating a science hub to increase the capability to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks.

Announcing the funding on Monday (9 December), Defra secretary Steve Reed said the government had inherited the laboratories in “poor condition”, which reduced the country’s ability to respond to animal disease outbreaks. 

Apha’s work includes leading the current operational response to the impacts of avian influenza and bluetongue virus, including testing thousands of samples, stretching existing laboratory capacity.   

Apha chief executive Jenny Stewart said the funding, initially announced in the autumn Budget, would support “crucial upgrades” to deliver disease surveillance, detection and research work.

‘World leading’

“The work we do is world-leading, and this funding affirms the government’s commitment to protecting animal and plant health and will help us protect the economy from disease risk,” she said.

Defra said the investment would help deliver on the government’s Plan for Change mission, which is to deliver growth, in this case by helping to protect profits for farmers and other food producers.

The risk to the UK’s biosecurity is expected to continue increasing in the years ahead as the changing climate will create new pathways for pests, pathogens and invasive species.

Following its inquiry in 2022, the Public Accounts Committee said Defra had “comprehensively failed” in its management of Weybridge, identifying more than 1,000 single points of failure that would severely undermine its ability to take charge of the UK’s response, should a major outbreak of animal disease occur.