Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 13 May (HL3564) and Lord True on 1 June (HL4540), whether there is a record of total government spending on preparations to counter the risk of a pandemic.

The United Kingdom’s influenza pandemic preparedness is based on a ‘defence in depth’ strategy to minimise spread of infection and treat individual cases. In addition to plans to surge National Health Service provision, including critical care, the strategy involves measures to reduce the demand on those NHS services by reducing the risk of transmission and minimising serious illness, including through the stockpiling of personal protective equipment and antivirals.

As this strategy is multi-faceted and it involves many organisations and departments, including the NHS, it is not possible to identify a single source of expenditure that accurately represents our pandemic preparedness. Since 2016-17, NHS England’s funding has increased every year in real terms. NHS England’s mandate is £129.7 billion this year, reaching £137.5 billion in 2023-24.