Policy paper

UK Resilience Forum third meeting: 2 February 2023

Updated 13 February 2024

Meeting held in-person and by video conference - Thursday 02 February 2023

Representatives from the following organisations were in attendance:

• Cabinet Office
• Citizens Advice
• Electronic Communications Resilience and Response Group
• Environment Agency
• Government Office for Science
• Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Ministry of Defence
• National Emergencies Trust
• National Fire Chief’s Council
• National Police Chief’s Council
• Network Rail
• NHS England
• Northern Ireland Executive
• Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership
• Water Industry Platinum Group
• Welsh Government

Invited organisations unable to attend:

• Confederation of Business Industry
• Energy Networks Association
• Equalities and Human Rights Commission
• Scottish Government
• Society of Local Authority Chief Executives

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, The Rt. Hon. Oliver Dowden CBE MP and the Minister for Cabinet Office, the Rt. Hon. Jeremy Quin MP (Co-Chairs) welcomed attendees to the third meeting of the UK Resilience Forum (UKRF), highlighting it as a valuable asset to the government for sharing and informing ideas and approaches to improve the nation’s resilience.

The Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) Unit presented a Risk Forward Look, highlighting significant risks over the next six months. These risks included severe weather and flooding; lasting impacts from COVID-19 and seasonal illnesses on the healthcare system; increased prevalence of outbreaks of animal disease such as avian influenza; protest action; and disruption related to widespread industrial action across public services.

Forum members were invited to share their views on the risks facing the UK. In discussion the following points were made:

• Improved understanding of sectoral dependencies and interlinkages between risks (e.g. power resilience) would enable better planning and preparation, particularly in support of those potentially more vulnerable to the impacts;
• People centred risks were a particular concern in the context of the cost of living, and the ongoing impacts of industrial action on individuals.

The Resilience Directorate then summarised recent policy developments and work in progress to mitigate immediate challenges facing resilience, following the publication of the UK Government Resilience Framework, including refreshing the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) process; working with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to strengthen local resilience forums; making the MET Office and Coal Authority Category 2 responders under the Civil Contingencies Act, as recommended by the Civil Contingencies Act Post-Implementation review; and promoting training, exercising and lessons learned.

The Minister for Cabinet Office, the Rt. Hon Jeremy Quin MP, noted additional focus points were: building capabilities; adopting a whole of society approach to resilience; and identifying key areas of concern for resilience.

Attendees were then invited to discuss the implementation of the UK Government Resilience Framework. The following points were made:

• The focus on resilience at an individual and community level within the UK Government Resilience Framework was welcomed.
• The COVID-19 pandemic had raised awareness around the vital role of Local Resilience Forums in emergency preparedness and response; they should continue to be championed and will be key to delivering the Framework.
• Wider organisations beyond Local Resilience Forums have a role to play in delivering the Framework and ‘whole of society’ approach. It is important to build out from the Local Resilience Forums’ membership and tailor to reflect local differences.
• The voluntary and community sector have useful insights, capabilities and reach to support a people-orientated and whole of society approach and they welcome the opportunity for joint working and exercising.
• Long-term thinking around resilience is essential to truly foster resilient communities and the whole of society approach.

The Minister for Cabinet Office, the Rt. Jeremy Quin MP, ended the meeting by thanking members for their attendance, noting their valuable contributions, and affirmed the government’s commitment to continued engagement with stakeholders on resilience matters, and expressed the desire to more regularly convene the UKRF.