PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS (15127/05)
Letter from the Chairman to Rt Hon Rosie
Winterton MP, Minister of State for Health Services, Department
of Health
Thank you for your letter dated 20 July 2006[151]
which was received too late for consideration before the House
rose for the Summer Recess. It was considered by Sub-Committee
G on 12 October.
We are grateful to you for clarifying the respective
roles of the Commission and ECDC and the way they are expected
to work together in practice in dealing with avian and pandemic
influenza. We also note what you say about co-ordination with
Member States and the WHO and note that the Goverenment is confident
that links with the latter will be effective.
On the basis of the explanations and assurances
you have given, we are prepared to release the document from scrutiny.
But we look to the Government to continue to ensure that co-operation
and co-ordination in this vital area is well-planned and likely
to work swiftly and effectively should the need arise. To that
end, it would be helpful to know whether suitable arrangements
are to be made to test the effectiveness of these plans in practice.
12 October 2006
Letter from Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP
to the Chairman
Thank you for your letter of 12 October 2006.
I am pleased that you feel you are now able to release the Communication
from scrutiny. I agree with you that it is extremely important
that co-operation and co-ordination in this area is well planned
and tested. My officials are continuing to work with colleagues
across Europe and at the Commission, ECDC and WHO to ensure this
is the case within Europe and wider afield.
Specifically regarding the effectiveness of
EU plans, on 23-24 November 2006 Exercise "Common Ground"
tested the interaction of national plans, as well as examining
the role of the Commission. The exercise found that generally
there was effective co-ordination and co-operation across the
EU in relation to pandemic influenza preparedness and outlined
some areas where further work would be beneficial. A report of
the exercise can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/com/common.pdf
The Commission is currently considering organising
further exercises, but at present has no definite plans. In the
UK we are holding a follow-up to Exercise "Shared Goal",
(which tested our national responses at WHO phrase 4) early next
year. Exercise "Winter Willow" will test our national
response at WHO phrases 5 and 6 and will involve key international
players, such as the EC, ECDC and WHO.
26 October 2006
151 Correspondence with Ministers, 40th Report of Session
2006-07, HL Paper 187, pp 543-544. Back
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