Simplify Emergency Preparedness Structures
The governments of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should each simplify and reduce the number of structures with responsibility for preparing for and building resilience to whole-system civil emergencies. The core structures should be: a single Cabinet-level or equivalent ministerial committee (including the senior minister responsible for health and social care) responsible for whole-system civil emergency preparedness and resilience for each government, which meets regularly and is chaired by the leader or deputy leader of the relevant government; and a single cross-departmental group of senior officials in each government (which reports regularly to the Cabinet-level or equivalent ministerial committee) to oversee and implement policy on civil emergency preparedness and resilience. This should be put in place within 12 months of the publication of this Report.
- The Prime Minister established the National Security Council (Resilience) as a single Cabinet-level committee in July 2024, chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with the Health Secretary as a standing member (UK Government Response to the Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 Report, Cabinet Office, 16 January 2025).
- A Resilience Steering Board was created at Director level, meeting monthly, with senior officials from devolved governments attending (UK Government Response to the Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 Report, Cabinet Office, 16 January 2025).
- The July 2025 implementation update marked this recommendation as CLOSED, confirming governance for catastrophic risks had been refreshed with co-chaired risk boards and increased meeting frequency (Module 1 Implementation Update, Cabinet Office, 8 July 2025).
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedNo formal response published by this government.
No formal response published by this government.
No formal response published by this government.
The government agrees that clear governance is needed to build resilience across the UK.
As per the Inquiry’s recommendation, in July 2024, the Prime Minister established a single ministerial committee to oversee action to build medium to long term resilience, capable of making decisions across government. The National Security Council (Resilience) is a Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Committee oversees action to build medium to long term resilience. The Health Secretary is a standing member of this Committee, in line with the Inquiry’s recommendation. The National Security Council (Resilience) is supported by an official-level committee, in line with the Cabinet Manual.
The government also has a cross-departmental group of senior officials to coordinate and drive implementation of policy on civil emergency preparedness and resilience. The Resilience Steering Board is a Director-level meeting, chaired by the Cabinet Office Head of Resilience, that meets monthly. The Board has a clearly defined purpose to provide collective cross-government leadership on resilience matters, within the core structure provided by the National Security Council (Resilience).
Resilience is a wide ranging and complex function that spans different policy areas, both reserved and devolved. The devolution arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set out the policy areas that are the responsibility of devolved governments for which they are accountable to devolved legislatures. Risks and emergencies do not recognise borders and it is vital that the four nations across the UK work together to keep communities safe. Senior officials from the devolved governments attend the Resilience Steering Board, to ensure effective understanding and coordination of resilience activity across the whole of the UK. Senior resilience officials across the four nations also meet individually and together on cross-cutting matters with ministerial engagement as needed.
We will look to rationalise and streamline subordinate or supporting groups and committees responsible for whole-system civil emergency preparedness and resilience. Further arrangements to manage whole system risks have been captured later in this response under the relevant recommendations.
[CLOSED] National Security Council (Resilience) established July 2024, chaired by Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster. Governance refreshed for catastrophic risks with co-chaired risk boards.
Progress Timeline
Status: Completed. The government agrees that clear governance is needed to build resilience across the UK. As per the Inquiry’s recommendation, in July 2024, the Prime Minister established a single ministerial committee to oversee action to build medium to long term resilience, capable of making decisions across government. The National Security Council (Resilience) is a Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Committee oversees action to build medium to long term resilience.
Implementation update (8 Jul 2025): [CLOSED] National Security Council (Resilience) established July 2024, chaired by Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster. Governance refreshed for catastrophic risks with co-chaired risk boards.
The government agrees that clear governance is needed to build resilience across the UK. As per the Inquiry’s recommendation, in July 2024, the Prime Minister established a single ministerial committee to oversee action to build medium to long term resilience, capable of making decisions across government. The National Security Council (Resilience) is a Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Committee oversees action to build medium to long term resilience. The Health Secretary is a standing member of this Committee, in line with the Inquiry’s recommendation. The National Security Council (Resilience) is supported by an official-level committee, in line with the Cabinet Manual. The government also has a cross-departmental group of senior officials to coordinate and drive implementation of policy on civil emergency preparedness and resilience. The Resilience Steering Board is a Director-level meeting, chaired by the Cabinet Office Head of Resilience, that meets monthly. The Board has a clearly defined purpose to provide collective cross-government leadership on resilience matters, within the core structure provided by the National Security Council (Resilience). Resilience is a wide ranging and complex function that spans different policy areas, both reserved and devolved. The devolution arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set out the policy areas that are the responsibility of devolved governments for which they are accountable to devolved legislatures. Risks and emergencies do not recognise borders and it is vital that the four nations across the UK work together to keep communities safe. Senior officials from the devolved governments attend the Resilience Steering Board, to ensure effective understanding and coordination of resilience activity across the whole of the UK. Senior resilience officials across the four nations also meet individually and together on cross-cutting matters with ministerial engagement as needed. We will look to rationalise and streamline subordinate or supporting groups and committees responsible for whole-system civil emergency preparedness and resilience. Further arrangements to manage whole system risks have been captured later in this response under the relevant recommendations.