UK Government
Background
This section outlines the frameworks which deliver emergency preparedness at a UK government level. The Government aims to be as open as possible about the work it does in preparing for, and responding to emergencies. A comprehensive framework exists to lead and manage civil protection activity within government and between government and its partners. Co-ordination is strong between central, regional and local government.
Coordination & Leadership
The Home Secretary has overall Ministerial responsibility for safety and security, and hence for emergency preparedness and response. Supporting him, lead Ministers in lead departments have clear ownership of specific issues - for example, the Secretary of State for Health is in the lead on planning for infectious diseases. The Home Secretary chairs a Ministerial Committee on National Security, International Relations and Development - Sub-committee on Protective Security and Resilience (NSID(PSR)) [External website], which oversees protective security and resilience issues.
The Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) in the Cabinet Office co-ordinates the UK Government's work to enhance the country's resilience to the full range of emergencies. The CCS co-ordinates the work of the Government Departments, who are responsible for contingency planning and response within their areas (e.g. infectious diseases falls to Department of Health; fuel disruptions falls to Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform).
Horizon Scanning & Risk Assessment
A horizon-scanning and national risk assessment capability has been established in central government to spot trouble in advance and ensure long term preparedness.
The horizon scans and risk assessments issued by the Domestic Horizon Scanning Committee serve to give Government Departments and others a heads-up on approaching potential disruptive challenges up to 12 months ahead, and a common understanding of the likely nature and extent of the impacts.
This operates in harness with a national risk assessment framework, which identifies risks over a five year period and forms the basis for decisions about emergency preparedness and about capability planning.
A full description of the UK's integrated approach to risk management can be found here.
The Capabilities Programme
The Capabilities Programme is the core framework through which the Government is seeking to build resilience across all parts of the United Kingdom.
The programme identifies the generic capabilities that underpin the UK's resilience to disruptive challenges, and ensures that each of these is developed. These capabilities include dealing with mass casualties and fatalities, response to chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incidents, provision of essential services and warning and informing the public.
Some components of the capabilities relate to the activities of central government, such as central crisis management facilities or use of the Armed Forces. Other components are delivered by regional or local responders, but developed within the framework established at the centre by the capabilities programme to ensure consistency and high standards.
Exercise Programme
The Government has in place a co-ordinated cross-governmental exercise programme covering a comprehensive range of domestic disruptive challenges, including accidents, natural disasters and acts of terrorism.
The programme is designed to test rigorously the concept of operations from the coordinated central response through the range of Lead Government Department responsibilities and the involvement of the Devolved Administrations, to the regional tier and local responders.
This nationwide rolling programme of exercises is designed to ensure we have the best possible contingency plans in place to respond to a whole range of civil emergency scenarios.
The UK also observes or participates with international partners in exercises, either through multilateral fora, such as the G8, NATO and the EU, or on a bilateral basis.
The Exercises section provides more information.
Business continuity
Business continuity involves managing risks to the smooth running of an organisation or delivery of a service, ensuring continuity of critical functions in the event of a disruption, and effective recovery afterwards. Government Departments have plans in place to ensure they can continue to function in the event of an emergency. Departments apply the same principles and best practice as government promotes for all other organisations.
More details on business continuity management can be found here.
Working together
Central government works very closely with the devolved administrations, regional government offices (GOs), local authorities and emergency services. Officials attend the full range of multi-agency forums, particularly Regional and Local Resilience Forums, and regularly go out to visit practitioners. Central, regional and local organisations undertake regular exercises which test all levels of emergency preparedness and response. In addition to every-day communications, central government also provides guidance to local and regional government on the full range of civil protection topics.
Regional Resilience Teams within GOs and their counterparts within the devolved administrations play a key role in co-ordinating between UK government and local responders, ensuring effective communication and addressing larger-scale civil protection themes (see the English regions and Devolved Administrations sections).
Government also aims to provide advice and guidance to the full range of public, private and voluntary organisations. The Emergency Planning College, which is part of CCS, offers a range of training and guidance for practitioners.
Key Documents
You should refer to:
Key Links
Other Documents
You may also wish to refer to:
- Central Government Emergency Response Training Course (CGERT)/ National Strategic Level - Useful Reading - The Government Emergency Response Training Course aims to equip people with the knowledge, skills and awareness necessary for their role in crisis management at the national strategic level. It is also designed to familiarise those in departmental emergency organisations, in Devolved and Regional Government, and in Strategic Co-ordination Groups with the Central Response structure and processes.
The Directed Reading Package for Module 2 of the course is also very useful for those not planning to attend the course who wish to know more about central government response to emergencies.
Further details of this course are available from the Emergency Planning College [External website]
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