Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Animal and Plant Health Agency's capacity to effectively deal with disease outbreaks on farm.

APHA undertakes an ongoing assessment of Defra’s capacity and capability to deal with disease outbreaks on farm. APHA implemented tiered preparedness ratings in January 2025, referred to as indices (strategic, tactical, and operational, which provide an assessment of each business unit’s readiness and resilience to respond to exotic disease incursions) covering disease, pest, and invasive species threats. These indices provide a living record of response capability and capacity, ensuring that there is a continuously updated document on preparedness that evolves to reflect ongoing changes.