Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to invest in the life sciences sector to support the UK's preparedness against (1) the impacts of season flu, and (2) an influenza pandemic.
Given wider preparedness work with the life sciences sector, a specific investment for influenza has not been made. However, Life Sciences Vision, set out the 10 year plan for building on the UK’s life science capabilities with commitments to continue to invest in pandemic preparedness and response, including vaccine development, clinical research infrastructure and National Health Service genomic sequencing capability. This includes a healthcare mission to sustain the United Kingdom’s position in novel vaccine discovery, development, manufacture and use. The report also contains a commitment to build on the UK’s pandemic manufacturing infrastructure, expertise in vaccines and £380 million invested by the Vaccines Taskforce in vaccine manufacturing capacity. A copy of Life Sciences Vision is attached.
The Spending Review also announced a £354 million investment in the life sciences manufacturing sector, including preparing for future pandemics.