Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the number of staff required to replicate the relevant functions of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control after the UK leaves the EU.

As part of the negotiations, Public Health England is examining the European Union security measures we are currently part of, including alternative health security arrangements. We are seeking a strategic partnership to continue close working relationship with our European partners. However, whilst negotiations are ongoing, we are not in a position to speculate on the cost to the public purse and the number of staff required to replicate the relevant functions of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The United Kingdom is a world leader in tackling serious cross-border threats to health and has a well-developed health protection system highly regarded by European partners. We use and benefit from a range of international information-sharing tools in the area of health security, which are by no means limited to EU mechanisms but include other channels such as the 2005 International Health Regulations.

In addition, the UK already has good collaborative relationship with other international partners such as the World Health Organization. It is in everyone’s interests to continue to collaborate closely, and to maintain access to our intelligence, risk assessment, guidance and management advice.