Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he last met with the UK Health Security Agency to discuss (a) emerging infectious disease threats and (b) maintaining pandemic response preparedness.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regularly meets with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) officials.

The Department, alongside UKHSA and NHS England, continues to plan and prepare for a range of pandemic and emerging infectious disease scenarios, including those caused by respiratory, contact and vector-borne pathogens. Senior officials regularly meet to ensure that the United Kingdom is protected from future health threats, building on the enhanced capabilities deployed to tackle COVID-19 and other infectious disease outbreaks. This includes cooperating globally to detect and counter future pandemics and emerging infectious disease outbreaks.