§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking in terms of civil defence planning in(a) London, (b) the South East, (c) England and (d) the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [96251]
§ Mr. AlexanderThe Civil Contingencies Secretariat, Cabinet Office, is responsible for emergency planning in England and Wales. It co-ordinates the development of civil protection arrangements involving Government Ministers, Government Departments, emergency services, local authorities, voluntary organisations and others. It works closely with the Devolved Administrations, which have responsibility for these matters, to ensure coherence of arrangements across the UK.
Much of the response to emergencies is based on multi-agency local emergency arrangements, developed within the clear guidelines set out by the Home Office. However, further measures have been taken to improve the regional planning capability:
The London Resilience Team was set up following the tragic events of 11 September 2001 to ensure that London has the best contingency plans possible. It works in support of the Minister of State for Local Government and the Regions and the Mayor of London to co-ordinate the emergency planning work of the London Boroughs, transport operators, emergency services, London health authorities and other civil authorities in London.
Regional Resilience Teams are being established, including for the South East of England, to improve the capability for regional emergency planning. These teams will assist in co-ordinating emergency planning within and across regions through the creation of Regional Resilience Forums.