Salisbury MP dismayed by confirmation of UKHSA Essex move
The organisation is leaving its current base at Porton Down
Salisbury MP John Glen says he's "beyond disappointed" that the UKHSA will be moving from its South Wiltshire base to Essex.
The move was confirmed by the Department of Health and Social Care on Thursday, as part of a £250m investment by the Government to create a new National Biosecurity Centre (NBC).
The move will bring the UKHSA, currently based in Porton Down and Colindale, under one roof in Harlow.
The DHSC says the move will create 1,600 jobs to support construction, building the largest site of its kind in Europe to enable the development of new treatments and vaccines that could save lives.
But Mr Glen, who has previously called for the move to be scrapped to provide job security for people based in and around Salisbury and to halt the spiralling costs, says Harlow's "potential" is being lauded over recognised the existing expertise at Porton Down.
Since the decision to move was first made in 2015, the estimated cost of £530m has escalated to £3.2 billion.
But Mr Glen says there is no new estimate of the cost as a consequence of the £250m being invested during this Government, and that no final designs for the project have been revealed.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: "This transformational investment in the UK’s national biosecurity will better protect the British public from future health emergencies, boost the life sciences sector and create new jobs.
"COVID-19 taught us how crucial it is to be able to respond quickly to new emerging threats, and the new NBC will allow us to do exactly that - ensuring Britain remains a world leader in pandemic preparedness.
Harlow will become a scientific hub, with the NBC exploring new ways to treat illnesses, improve people’s health and save more lives.
"By backing innovation, research and life sciences, we will make our NHS fit for the future, and cement the UK as a life sciences superpower as part of our Plan for Change."