Cabinet Office UK Resilience
Last updated: 12 August 2009
See also:
Where the disaster is too wide-ranging to be handled by a single department, or where the lead is not clear from this list:
UK - The Cabinet Office's Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) is responsible for taking the immediate lead and then for ensuring that one department is confirmed as the lead government department. The CCS is also responsible for resolving all cases of doubt so that one department is promptly confirmed as the lead. Where the incident is threatened or caused by terrorism, the initial phase is led by the Home Office Terrorism and Protection Unit.
Scotland - The Scottish Executive Justice Department (SEJD) will initiate the Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team, provide advice on lead allocation, and where appropriate will make a recommendation to Scottish Executive Ministers and the Permanent Secretary.
Wales - The HR (Facilities and Emergencies) Division of the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) will take the immediate lead for any matters which are devolved and in which the lead role needs to be confirmed.
Northern Ireland - The Central Emergency Planning Unit (CEPU) of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister will provide advice on lead allocation and, where appropriate, will make a recommendation to the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service on this.
It is important for all levels of government to be clear, in advance, which department will lead on main potential challenges. The Cabinet Office is responsible for maintaining the list of Lead Government Department responsibilities for planning, response, and recovery to a wide range of situations.
Most incidents are handled by local emergency responders with no direct involvement from central government. Where there is a need for central government involvement, this is undertaken in accordance with the established concept of Lead Government Department. The document below sets out lead government department responsibilities for planning, response, and recovery. It takes on board recommendations from Lord Newton’s inquiry (Buncefield fuel depot) and the Pitt Review 2008 (Flooding) which called for clarity around roles and responsibilities, particularly in the recovery phase. In addition, this document takes on board lessons learnt from exercising/operations and reflects recent machinery of government changes.
The Cabinet Office will continue to provide support, as required, to lead departments during the planning, response and recovery phases.
UK - Cabinet Office, CCS working closely with the Overseas Defence Secretariat.
England - Defra
Scotland - Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD)
Wales - Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside of the Welsh Assembly Government
Northern Ireland - Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
A) POLLUTION FROM VESSELS AND OFFSHORE INSTALLATIONS:
UK - Counter Pollution Branch of Department of Transport's (DfT) Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA).
Scotland - As for UK but with SEERAD involvement
B) POLLUTION TO GROUND WATERS AND SURFACE WATERS, INCLUDING TO MARINE WATERS (UP TO 3 MILES OUT) ARISING FROM MAJOR POLLUTION FROM LAND BASED SOURCES
England - Defra working with the Environment Agency (EA). For marine water pollution the EA will work in association with DfT's MCA.
Scotland - SEERAD. For marine water pollution SEERAD will work in association with the MCA.
Wales - Department for Environment, Planning (DEPC) and Countryside of the WAG working with Defra and the Environment Agency. For marine water pollution DEPC will work in association with the MCA.
Northern Ireland - Department of the Environment. For marine water pollution, in association with the MCA
C) CONTROL OF MARITIME SALVAGE OPERATIONS
UK - DfT's Maritime and Coastguard Agency
UK - The UK's Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network (RIMNET); operated and managed by The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), supports all UK radiological emergencies.
A) IF INCIDENT IS INITIATED OR THREATENED BY TERRORISM:
GB - Home Office OSCT. If matters move to the stage of managing the consequences of an incident, the lead will transfer as indicated in b), c) and d) below.
Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland Office. If matters move to the stage of managing the consequences of an incident, the lead will transfer as indicated in b), c) and d) below.
B) CIVIL NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS
England - The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
Wales - DECC, but consequence management for devolved functions would fall to the Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside of the Welsh Assembly Government.
Scotland - Consequence management for devolved functions would fall to Scottish Executive Transport, Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Department (SEETLLD)
Northern Ireland - Consequence management for develoved functions would fall to NI Department of the Environment
C) DEFENCE NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS AND DEFENCE NUCLEAR MATERIAL IN TRANSIT
UK - Ministry of Defence (MOD)
Scotland - As for the UK but consequence management for devolved functions would fall to the Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team. For materials in transit by land, SEETLLD Transport Group would lead.
Wales - As for UK but HR (Facilities and Emergencies Division) would co-ordinate consequence management issues within the WAG.
Northern Ireland - As for the UK, but lead for consequence management would be Department of the Environment.
D) ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OF RADIATION FROM CIVIL NUCLEAR MATERIAL IN TRANSIT
England - Department for Transport
Scotland - As for England and Wales, in liaison with SEETLLD Transport Group.
Wales - DfT, but HR (Facilities and Emergencies) Division would co-ordinate consequence management issues within the WAG
Northern Ireland - Department of the Environment.
England - CCS would ensure that, dependent on the cause of the incident, a lead department was identified for the emergency phase. If matters moved to the stage of managing the consequences, the lead would pass to Defra.
Scotland - Consequence management for devolved functions would fall to the Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team.
Wales - HR (Facilities and Emergencies) Division would co-ordinate consequence management issues within the WAG.
Northern Ireland - The appropriate lead NI department for the outcome of the event would lead on consequence management.
UK - DECC. (see 6 above)
A) WHERE HAZARD ARISES AS A RESULT OF TERRORIST ACTION OVERSEAS
UK - Home Office OSCT to lead in considering potential threat to UK of a co-ordinated attack against UK targets.
B) AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENTS
UK - DECC lead role is to co- ordinate the UK response for consequence management.
Wales - Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside, working with the Environment Agency.
Scotland - SEERAD EPU and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
Northern Ireland - Department of the Environment
UK - The Cabinet Office (CCS) is responsible for ensuring a lead department takes responsibility for managing consequences once these become clear. Planning will be based on CCS assessments worked up in close consultation with the British National Space Centre of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
UK - Department for International Development (DfID)
England, Wales and Northern Ireland - Home Office.
Scotland - Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team.
A) CIVIL MARITIME AND COASTAL RESCUE
UK - DfT's MCA
B) MILITARY SHIPPING AND AIRCRAFT, CIVIL AIRCRAFT AT SEA AND CIVIL AIRCRAFT ON LAND WHEN THE LOCATION IS NOT KNOWN
(when the location is known the emergency is treated as a transport accident - see 15 below).
UK - Ministry of Defence
England - CCS is responsible for ensuring which department takes the lead in good time to support the response to severe storms and weather.
A) IF THE PRIMARY IMPACT IS ON THE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
England - DfT for UK air, rail network in GB, and roads and ports in England.
Scotland - SEETLLD Transport Group for roads and ports.
Wales - Department for Economic Development and Transport of the WAG, for roads and ports.
Northern Ireland - Department for Regional Development, for roads, ports and rail.
B) IF THE PRIMARY IMPACT IS ON THE POWER SYSTEM
England and Wales - DECC
Scotland - DECC for restoring services, SEETLLD for devolved aspects of consequence management.
Northern Ireland - Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
C) IF THE SEVERE WEATHER'S PRIMARY EFFECT IS FLOODING
England - Defra.
Scotland - SEERAD
Wales - Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside of the WAG
Northern Ireland - Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, or Department for Regional Development, depending on the source of flooding
D) IF THE PRIMARY IMPACT IS ON THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
England - Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
Scotland - Consequence management for devolved functions would fall to the Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team
Wales - Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside of the WAG
Northern Ireland - The appropriate lead NI Department for the outcome would lead on consequence management.
A) SHIPPING AND OTHER TRANSPORT ACCIDENTS AT SEA
UK - DfT (MCA)
B) LAND TRANSPORT
England - DfT
Scotland - SEETLLD (Transport Group)
Wales - Department for Economic Development and Transport of the WAG
Northern Ireland - Department for Regional Development.
England - Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
Scotland - SEJD
Wales - The Local Government and Culture Department of the WAG
Northern Ireland - Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
England - Defra
Scotland - SEERAD
Wales - Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside of the WAG
Northern Ireland - Department for Regional Development
England - DCLG
Wales - Department for the Environment, Planning and Countryside
Scotland - SEJD Lead, Consequence management would fall to the Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team
Northern Ireland - Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
England - DCLG. If the focus is on the wider commercial or economic impacts - BERR. Where failure resulted in major transport disruption - DfT.
Scotland - Consequence management would fall to the Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team.
Wales - Lead WAG department would depend on the outcome of the event.
Northern Ireland - Lead NI department would depend on the outcome of the event.
England - The Cabinet Office (CCS) is responsible for confirming the Lead Government Department in good time to support the response to an industrial accident.
Scotland - SEJD. Consequence management for devolved functions would fall to the Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team.
Wales - The HR (Facilities and Emergencies) Division of the WAG will determine the lead if the main focus of attention is a devolved matter.
Northern Ireland - Lead NI department would depend on the nature and outcome of the event.
A) IF THE MAIN FOCUS OF ATTENTION RELATES TO THE OPERATIONS OF THE HSE
England and Wales - Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) working with Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Scotland - SEETLLD
Northern Ireland - Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, working with HSE, NI.
B) IF THE MAIN FOCUS OF ATTENTION RELATES TO THE WIDER ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL IMPACTS
England - DECC
Scotland - SEETLLD consequence management would fall to the Scottish Executive Emergency Action Team
Wales - Welsh Assembly Government
Northern Ireland - Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
C) POLLUTION ARISING
England - Defra (see also Radiation Hazards)
Scotland - SEERAD
Wales - Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside of the WAG
Northern Ireland - Department of the Environment
A) DISPOSAL
UK - Police calling on MoD support
B) INFORMATION ON WHEREABOUTS OF UNEXPOLDED BOMBS
UK - DCLG
UK - Cabinet Office (CCS) in consultation with the e-Government unit
Scotland - SE Offices of the Permanent Secretary (Communications and Information Services Division) SE-OPS (CISD)
Wales - HR (Facilities and Emergencies) Division of the WAG will co-ordinate activity in their areas in support of the UK effort where there is a Welsh dimension.
Northern Ireland - Department of Finance and Personnel
UK - Home Office/ Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI)
Scotland - SE-OPS (CISD) will co-ordinate activity in their areas in support of the UK effort where there is a Scottish dimension.
Wales - HR(Facilities and Emergencies) Division of the WAG will co-ordinate activity in their areas in support of the UK effort where there is a Welsh dimension.
Northern Ireland - Department of Finance and Personnel will co-ordinate activity in their areas in support of the UK effort where there is a Northern Ireland dimension.
UK -
Scotland - The appropriate SE department depending on the outcome of the disruption:
Wales -
Northern Ireland - The appropriate NI department depending on the outcome of the disruption.
UK - (EU & international aspects)
GB - Co-ordinates disease control policy and veterinary advice
Domestic policy and operational:
England - Defra (with Department of Health/Food Standards Agency if threat to human health (zoonosis))
Scotland - SEERAD in association with Defra/State Veterinary Service.
Wales - Department of Environment, Planning and Countryside of the WAG in association with DEFRA/State Veterinary Services.
Northern Ireland - Department for Agriculture and Rural Development
England - the Food Standards Agency (FSA)
Scotland - FSA in Scotland
Wales - FSA in Wales
Northern Ireland - FSA in Northern Ireland
England - Defra
Scotland - SEERAD
Wales - Department of Environment, Planning and Countryside of the WAG
Northern Ireland - Department for Regional Development
England - Department of Health with assistance from the Health Protection Agency.
Scotland - SEERAD
Wales - Office of the CMO with the assistance of the Public Health Laboratories Service.
Northern Ireland - Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
England - Defra working with the Forestry Commission
Scotland - SEERAD working with the Forestry Commission
Wales - Department of Environment, Planning and Countryside of the WAG, working with the Forestry Commission.
Northern Ireland - Department of Agriculture and Rural Development working with the Forestry Commission.
General enquiries: Cabinet Office, 22 Whitehall, London SW1A 2WH.
[Terms and conditions, privacy and copyright] [ Complaints procedure] [ Readers] [
RSS Feeds] [ Freedom of Information ] [This website is speech enabled] [External website]
