Emergency Response - Central Government Arrangements

In some instances, the scale or complexity of an emergency is such that some degree of central government support or co-ordination becomes necessary. Central government will not duplicate the role of local responders who remain the basic building block of the response to an emergency.

A designated Lead Government Department (LGD) or, where appropriate, a devolved administration, will be made responsible for the overall management of the central government response. In the most serious cases, the central government response will be co-ordinated through the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR).

The balance of activity between UK central government and the devolved administrations will depend on the nature of the emergency and the terms of the devolution settlements.

The Central Government’s Concept of Operations sets out the UK arrangements for responding to and recovering from emergencies, irrespective of cause or location and requiring co-ordinated central government action. It describes how the UK central government response will be organised, and the relationship between the central, regional and local tiers in England, as well as the relationship between the UK central government and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It focuses primarily on the response to no-notice or short notice emergencies requiring UK central government engagement, although the approach outlined here can be adapted to manage the response to other crises.

The document was originally approved by ministers in 2005, and this updated version reflects revised arrangements in light of recent national emergencies.

• Emergency Response and Recovery: Chapter 13 - Central Government Arrangements [PDF]

Key Supporting Documents

You should refer to:

• Central Government’s Concept of Operations - Document setting out the arrangements for the response to emergencies requiring co-ordinated UK central government action

• The Lead Government Department and its role - Guidance and Best Practice - Cabinet Office guidance document outlining the LGD principle, departments' responsibilities and functions.

• Central Government Emergency Response Training Course (CGERT)/ National Strategic Level - Useful Reading - The Government Emergency Response Training Course aims to equip people with the knowledge, skills and awareness necessary for their role in crisis management at the national strategic level. It is also designed to familiarise those in departmental emergency organisations, in Devolved and Regional Government, and in Strategic Co-ordination Groups with the Central Response structure and processes.

  The Directed Reading Package for Module 2 of the course is also very useful for those not planning to attend the course who wish to know more about central government response to emergencies.

  Further details of this course are available from the Emergency Planning College [external website]