 Ladies and gentlemen, good morning and welcome to this press conference from the fourth day of the 49th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum here in Davos. Thank you for joining us here in the room. Thank you for joining us on the live stream, whether you're watching on Twitter, Facebook or our website. Thank you for joining. This press conference is dedicated to the launch of the UK AMR Vision and National Action Plan, and we're very pleased to be joined here today by Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the United Kingdom. Minister, please, the floor is yours. Thanks very much, George. The purpose of the World Economic Forum is to bring together the world's leaders and big business to solve some of the most difficult problems, and one of those problems is anti-microbial resistance, where the world has come together over the last five years, but so much progress still needs to be made to stop an otherwise terrible future. And as Health Secretary responsible for one of the most advanced healthcare systems in the world, I couldn't look my children in the eyes unless I knew I was doing all in my power to solve this great threat. When we have the time to act, and the urgency is now, each and every one of us benefits from antibiotics, but we all too easily take them for granted, and I shudder at the thought of a world in which their power is diminished. Anti-microbial resistance is a big danger to humanity and as big a danger as climate change or warfare, and that's why we need an urgent global response. The UK has taken a lead by setting out a 20-year AMR vision, explaining the steps that we need to take, both nationally and internationally, to rise to this challenge. And it fits into a pattern of work across the world that we need to keep driving forward. The plan incorporates three things we need to do, prevention, innovation and collaboration, and I'll speak a little about each. First, preventing infections is vital. Today we've set a target for the UK to cut resistant infections by 10% within five years, and to cut antibiotic use by a further 15% within five years, by only using antibiotics when absolutely necessary. And everybody can play a part in only using antibiotics when they are really needed. We're also going to work with the livestock industry and build on the amazing 40% reduction in antibiotic usage in just five years. In fact, among chicken farming, there's a 71% reduction in antibiotic use, whilst productivity has increased by 11%, showing that this can be done. We're going to do all of this, both in humans and animals, through immunization, better infection control, working with doctors, vets, farmers and patients to prevent unnecessary prescription of antibiotics. Second, innovation. There hasn't been a single new class of antibiotics since the 1980s. No new innovation in the most basic bedrock of every health service in the world, which is shocking and deeply troubling. Any health minister who doesn't lie awake at night worrying about the lack of a pack of antibiotics must have a prescription of some seriously strong sleeping pills. Now, we know the reasons why, compared to expensive new cancer and heart drugs, for instance, putting time and money into developing new antibiotics is commercially unattractive for pharmaceutical companies. And under the traditional model of revenue linked to volume, there's an added disincentive for pharmaceutical companies with a product that must be conserved. So we need a new model, one that works with and incentivizes the pharmaceutical industry. And this is where the NHS can come in. Because of its unique position, it can take a global lead in pioneering a new payment system that reflects the true value of antibiotics to society. The heart of this approach is changing the way we think about antibiotics from a medical product to a medical service, a service we all rely on as patients, as doctors and as pharma companies. So within six months, the NHS is going to start work on paying for the service and therefore the security of having access to critical antibiotics when we need them, rather than hoping there's a product we can buy in the future. It's a bit like being a Spotify subscriber rather than a vinyl record shopper. And we'll pay upfront, so pharmaceutical companies know that it's worthwhile for them to invest in the estimated one billion it costs to develop a new drug and we'll work with the industry to develop the next generation of antibiotics that are available and accessible to all. But the only way this system can incentivize innovation globally is of course if it's expanded globally. And this brings me to my third and final point on collaboration. I'm proud of the work that the UK has done to ensure that antimicrobial resistance is on the global agenda. We're playing our part both at home and on the world stage. We recognize that none of us can stand alone against AMR. It won't be solved by one nation, no single action or intervention. It's a fight that needs continued collaboration across borders now and in the future. So I'm meeting health ministers from across the world here and leaders of the pharmaceutical industry to agree further action. And then next week, the UN Interagency Coordinating Group are publishing their draft recommendations on the next steps needed to tackle AMR. And I believe that that will take us one step closer. This is a challenge that we need to rise to and step forward and push ourselves further. And together, I'm convinced that with a proper plan, we can achieve that goal. Thank you very much, Minister. And we're certainly very happy here at the World Economic Forum that you've chosen this platform to make this important announcement. Since we pride ourselves with the CEPI and GAVI and Global Fund and other initiatives in the fight against infectious diseases. So thank you for your leadership on the issue. I believe we have a couple of minutes for Q&A. If you could wait for the microphone and for the sake of our online audience, identify yourself, please. Ed Conway from Sky News. Minister, can you give some specifics about how much this is going to cost, obviously a lot of concern, a lot of focus in the UK on costs and the NHS does have more money pledged, but there are lots of new promises from that plan that was unveiled just recently. So I think that people will be aware that there is only a finite amount of money on this and this is a very expensive task. And just more broadly, is this analogous to climate change in that this is a major issue that demands kind of international cooperation? Is it not concerning that with the UK leaving the EU, its position as a participant in that international dialogue might be damaged by that? The tackling an issue like antimicrobial resistance that has the potential to be so damaging to the world is exactly the sort of thing that the UK must be doing in the future, whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations. We have historically played our part in leading this debate and other debates like with climate change, alongside partners around the world, and we must continue to do that. Now, of course, the details of our relationship with our friends in Europe is an important part of that, but it is by no means the only part of it. And I think these issues where there is the need for global leadership are areas where the UK must step up and step forward, and that is even more important as we make our way in the world outside of the European Union, working with countries right across the globe. On the question of where the money is going to come from to pay for this plan, this is about turning the NHS buying power to incentivise new research into new drugs. So the NHS already spends a billion pounds on antibiotics. Because we are one coordinated buyer for a population of 50 million, that gives the NHS the buying power to be able to structure that procurement right to incentivise research. So it's about using the existing buying power better rather than paying per click and paying per pill. It's about having a more dynamic procurement relationship with the pharmaceutical companies in this area. Thank you, Minister. And maybe on your climate change question, Professor Jeremy Farah from the Wellcome Trust yesterday here in a press conference mentioned that we are now since 2011 consistently almost 200 epidemic events around the world, which does bring this on par with climate change as a business risk for sure. So I think that's a very important point as well. I think we have a question from DevEx there, please. Hi, Sophie Edwards from DevEx. We write about the developing world. You talked about this as a global issue and things like AMR and TB is obviously devastating, but not really in the UK. How are you going to make it global? How are the impacts be felt? And are you working with DFID maybe using any aid funding to help this effort? Yes, of course, the DFID aid budget supports research into vaccines and a whole host of support for improving health around the world. And in fact, I've just come from a meeting with Bill Gates on exactly this subject. It's incredibly important to us that we use the aid budget as effectively as possible. And to get ahead of the need to improve health outcomes in the developing world. And antimicrobial resistance at its worst will be most devastating for the poorest countries. And it is undoubtedly a global problem and it's one that will use our strong aid budget to support this is a whole government effort from the UK government, as it is from many of our partners who are also leading in this area. Thank you very much. I think we have time for maybe one or two more questions. Yes, the lady in the front row, please. Thank you. Julie from iPhone.com. A proposal to hide tax on the rich people with 70% tax is from America. So how do you look at that proposal? Will you scare of this or will UK adopt that kind of proposal in the future? That's not our proposal. We've successfully been able to increase the budget in the UK spent on health, which is a big demand of the population in the UK, without having to put up taxes because our economy is strong. And that's where the funding for this initiative in the UK will come from. But of course, the solutions to health challenges that spread around the world, like AMR, can't be done by one country alone. The solutions are from individuals to make sure that we only use antibiotics when we need to from a country level, but also at a global level. Thank you. And we have one more question from the gentleman in the second row there. Thank you. Good morning, Minister. Jake Cantor from Business Insider. I had a question on Brexit, if I may. The BMA has warned that a no-deal Brexit will be catastrophic for the NHS. Is this government prepared to risk lives by taking the UK out of the EU without a deal? Well, we're doing everything that we can to ensure that there is the unhindered supply of medicines in any Brexit outcome. And I am confident that if everybody does what they need to do, then there will be that unhindered flow of medicines even in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Now, I don't want a no-deal Brexit. And I think that the deal that the Prime Minister has put on the table is the best way to avoid a no-deal Brexit whilst respecting the referendum result as we must do as a democratic country. There's been a huge amount of effort, both in government and in the pharmaceutical industry, to make sure that there is the unhindered supply of medicines, even if there is logistical disruption at the ports in the UK. There are around 12,000 lines of medicines used, different medicines used in the UK. And we have a plan in place for the vast majority of them already, and we will have a plan in place for all of them. And we are on track to ensure that the necessary mitigations are in place. Having said all of that, the best outcome would be to come to a successful deal with our friends in the EU so that we can maintain a close economic relationship whilst delivering on the referendum result. And I very much hope that Parliament will come to that conclusion too in the coming weeks. Thank you very much. Mindful of the time and the packed schedule of the Minister, I'd like to close the press conference here. Thank you very much for being here. Thank you for watching. And again, thank you, Minister. Thanks very much.