Cabinet Office UK Resilience

Main navigation

Civil Contingencies Act Enhancement Programme

15 December 2008

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (CCA) brought into being a single statutory and regulatory framework for civil protection in the UK. Since the CCA was enacted, there was an explicit intention to review it within three years. Given the range of disruptive challenges that have occurred in the intervening years, and the subsequent inquiries such as the Pitt Review, it has been decided that the CCA Enhancement Programme will be established to take this review forward.

The objectives of the CCAEP are as follows:

• Assess whether there are aspects of the CCA where original intentions are not being met and develop solutions where these are needed.
• Consider whether the CCA regime needs to be modified to reflect relevant experience and changes in relevant structures which have emerged since 2004.
• Consider how to reflect good practice in the CCA regime to help raise the standards of UK resilience activity.
• Evaluate whether the scope of the CCA should be broadened beyond emergency preparedness to cover other aspects of integrated emergency management.
• Ensure that the CCA framework is effectively aligned and integrated with relevant legislation and policy initiatives.

These objectives are to be met via a range of projects, organised into a four phase programme, with delivery ongoing over the next three years.

The effectiveness of the CCA regime and CCAEP depends on a close working relationship between the Civil Contingencies Secretariat and the local responder community. As such, a highly consultative approach will be employed throughout. This will ensure that there is scope for requisite stakeholder input, key messages are transmitted in a timely manner, and stakeholders are fully aware of the upcoming changes to the CCA regime and have sufficient time to make any adjustments required.

• Civil Contingencies Act Enhancement Programme - Programme Initiation Document [PDF 30 pages, 443KB]
• Civil Contingencies Act Enhancement Programme - Briefing Pack [PDF 8 pages, 285KB]