Compel LRF attendance from Category 1 and 2 responders
The Home Office should consider empowering the leadership of local resilience forums to compel the attendance of a senior representative of its Category 1 and Category 2 responders at all local resilience forum meetings. Inspections by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services should include an analysis of a service's engagement with its local resilience forum or forums. Consideration should be given to putting this on a statutory footing.
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to implement improvements. The response committed to reviewing interoperability arrangements between emergency services and strengthening joint training and exercising protocols for major incidents.
Progress Timeline
The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) Regulations (2005) (Cabinet Office) set out requirements for the attendance of both Category 1 and 2 responders at meetings including the Local Resilience Forum. For example, the 2005 regulations require relevant Category 1 responders to hold LRF meetings to which the chief officer of each relevant general Category 1 responder and each relevant general Category 2 responder is invited, at least once every six months (known as the “Chief Officers Group”). Category 1 and 2 responders (if invited) must, so far as reasonably practicable, attend meetings of the Chief Officers Group or be effectively represented by another responder there. More broadly, under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the 2005 Regulations, Category 1 and 2 responders each have statutory duties to co-operate and to share information in the context of emergency preparedness. In practice, this generally results in regular participation in LRF and other meetings. The 2022 Post-Implementation Review (PIR) of the CCA considered the LRF participation, including broadening the duties on Category 2 responders; changes were not supported by the evidence gathered in consultation. However, the Cabinet Office continues to keep the legislation under review and will consider any future changes as appropriate, including considerations of the findings of the DLUHC-led Strengthening LRFs pilot. As part of the Government’s ambition to strengthen Local Resilience Forums as laid out in UK Government Resilience Framework , DLUHC is working with other government departments and inspection agencies to develop new approaches to the assurance of Local Resilience Forums. HMICFRS are independent of Government. They set their inspection frameworks and programme independently of us, and in consultation with the sector. Their current fire inspection framework already includes an examination of Fire and Rescue Services’ engagement with LRFs. However, the existing frameworks for police inspections do not examine how police forces engage with LRFs. There are a number of levers we can use to influence HMICFRS’ inspection programmes. Through upcoming consultations on HMICFRS’ frameworks and inspection programmes, we will explore the possibility of HMICFRS carrying out some assessment of police forces’ engagement with LRFs. We will also continue to work with HMICFRS to explore the way fire inspections examine FRS’ engagement with LRFs further in any future iterations of the fire inspection framework.
The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) Regulations (2005) (Cabinet Office) set out requirements for the attendance of both Category 1 and 2 responders at meetings including the Local Resilience Forum. For example, the 2005 regulations require relevant Category 1 responders to hold LRF meetings to which the chief officer of each relevant general Category 1 responder and each relevant general Category 2 responder is invited, at least once every six months (known as the “Chief Officers Group”). Category 1 and 2 responders (if invited) must, so far as reasonably practicable, attend meetings of the Chief Officers Group or be effectively represented by another responder there. More broadly, under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the 2005 Regulations, Category 1 and 2 responders each have statutory duties to co-operate and to share information in the context of emergency preparedness. In practice, this generally results in regular participation in LRF and other meetings. The 2022 Post-Implementation Review (PIR) of the CCA considered the LRF participation, including broadening the duties on Category 2 responders; changes were not supported by the evidence gathered in consultation. However, the Cabinet Office continues to keep the legislation under review and will consider any future changes as appropriate, including considerations of the findings of the DLUHC-led Strengthening LRFs pilot. As part of the Government’s ambition to strengthen Local Resilience Forums as laid out in UK Government Resilience Framework , DLUHC is working with other government departments and inspection agencies to develop new approaches to the assurance of Local Resilience Forums. HMICFRS are independent of Government. They set their inspection frameworks and programme independently of us, and in consultation with the sector. Their current fire inspection framework already includes an examination of Fire and Rescue Services’ engagement with LRFs. However, the existing frameworks for police inspections do not examine how police forces engage with LRFs. There are a number of levers we can use to influence HMICFRS’ inspection programmes. Through upcoming consultations on HMICFRS’ frameworks and inspection programmes, we will explore the possibility of HMICFRS carrying out some assessment of police forces’ engagement with LRFs. We will also continue to work with HMICFRS to explore the way fire inspections examine FRS’ engagement with LRFs further in any future iterations of the fire inspection framework.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Government published formal Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations dashboard on GOV.UK (14 November 2025) tracking all 149 recommendations with implementation progress updates.
Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 received Royal Assent 3 April 2025. Creates two tiers: Standard Duty (200-799 capacity) and Enhanced Duty (800+). SIA will be regulator. Not yet in force -- at least 24 months before enforcement (expected April 2027).
NPCC, Counter Terrorism Policing and College of Policing provided comprehensive updates to Sir John Saunders demonstrating "continued drive to improve collective response to terrorist incidents."
View detailed findings
Representatives working with UK Intelligence Community to address closed Volume Three recommendations. Cross-government monitoring ongoing.