Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amendment to Article 59 of the World Health Organisation's International Health Regulations, adopted on 22 May 2022 by the World Health Assembly, and for which the opt-out period, available to each country separately, expires on 1 December.

The International Health Regulations (2005) are an existing international legal instrument to which the United Kingdom and 195 other World Health Organization (WHO) Member States are party. The regulations are a key part of the global health security system to prevent, protect against, control, and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease.

At the WHO World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2022, Member States including the UK agreed a process to negotiate and agree targeted amendments to the regulations and adopted five process-related amendments.

These amendments shorten the timeframes for future amendments to the regulations to come into force, namely 12 months with the possibility to extend up to 24 months, rather than 24 months, and for Member States to reject or reserve on them for 10 months rather than 18 months.

These amendments apply only to future Member State-agreed amendments to the regulations. The UK supports the amendments as they aim to improve the timeliness of Member States’ implementation of and compliance with the regulations, which helps to better protect the UK from future public health events including pandemics.

The 75th WHA also agreed the process for negotiating further targeted amendments to the regulations. Member States could submit proposed amendments for consideration and a Working Group (WGIHR), consisting of all Regulation State Parties, including the UK, through which the proposed amendments would be negotiated and agreed.

The Government continues to engage in the Member State-led WGIHR negotiation process, working to secure the best outcomes for the UK, as a means of strengthening preparedness for and response to future global health emergencies. Our priorities for the more than 300 proposed amendments continue to include increasing compliance with the regulations, improving transparency, and speeding up timeliness of reporting. No further amendments have been agreed yet. Member States agreed to submit a package of agreed amendments to the WHA in May 2024.

Amendments to the regulations must be adopted by Member States at the WHA for them to come into force as a matter of international law. A 10-month opt-out period for the more than 300 amendments will commence only if and when the amendments have been adopted by the WHA.

The Government has a strong commitment and duty to implement its international obligations. In addition, throughout negotiations, the UK has been and will continue to be clear that we would not agree any amendments that would cede sovereignty to the WHO, including in relation to making domestic decisions on national measures concerning public health, such as, domestic immunisation programme rollouts and other similar measures.

A Westminster Hall debate on the regulation amendments will be held on 18 December 2023. Any new or amended domestic legislation necessary to reflect new international obligations under the regulations would be made through the applicable parliamentary process. In all circumstances, the sovereignty of the UK Parliament would remain unchanged.