Frequently asked questions
The following questions are regularly asked about the
terrorist threat. Click on the question to find the
answer.
Why won't you give out more
detailed information about the nature of the threat of
the Government's emergency plans?
We are committed to giving you as much information as
we can about terrorism. Our guiding principle is that
wherever we can give you information that will help to
protect you, we will. But we also have a responsibility to
protect people working in the intelligence and security
fields, and not to give out information that could
compromise their safety. This includes intelligence, which
also needs to be carefully analysed and assessed, to work
out whether it is reliable or not.
We know you understand that we will not go into the
specific details of contingency plans, because if
terrorists knew all the details of our preparations to
respond to attacks, it would immediately make those plans
vulnerable and put us at risk.
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What is the current alert state? Is there a colour code?
We do not believe it is beneficial
to the UK to have one single national system to indicate
the current general level of threat. Rather than one
blanket system, we operate specific systems in various
public sectors and key industries, like aviation and
the utilities. This reflects the fact that when alert
states need to be raised in one sector, the threat assessment
for other sectors could stay the same. Our concern is
always to minimise the damage to the economy and our
prosperity caused by alarms of this nature.
Information on the general level of threat must be
meaningful if it is to be of practical use. We provide
regular assessments of the threat, set in context, to the
public and to Parliament.
Of course, if a warning, or specific advice, is ever
necessary to protect public safety and save lives, we will
issue it without hesitation. We have systems in place to
put those immediate warnings out if necessary.
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What should I do if there is a
terrorist attack?
If you are at the site of an incident, follow the instructions
of the emergency services.
If it is a major incident, and you are not in the immediate
area, our advice is to 'go in, stay in, tune in'. Go
home or go inside some other safe location, stay indoors
and tune in to local radio or television news programmes
for advice and information. We will issue advice immediately,
through all forms necessary, if you need to take specific
action.
It is always sensible to have a battery-powered or
wind-up radio in the house to prepare for a range of
emergencies, including power cuts and floods. (See 'Sensible
precautions - at home'.)
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Do I need
to buy a gas mask or protective suit to protect myself
from chemical or biological threats? And do I need to
stockpile food, water, or anything else?
No. There is currently no information that would lead
us to advise you to obtain protective clothing, including
gas masks, or to take other special precautions.
However, it is always sensible to be prepared for a
range of emergencies, including severe weather or floods
(See 'Sensible
precautions - at home'.)
We will issue advice immediately if you need to take
specific action.
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How will I know what to do if there
is a chemical or biological incident? And why can't
you tell us more in advance?
There is no such thing as
a standard chemical or biological incident, and therefore
no such thing as a standard response.
How we respond to a chemical or biological incident
- accidental or otherwise - would depend on a number
of factors. The emergency services are best placed to
decide the appropriate response, taking into account
the relevant factors.
To give detailed advice in advance about how to handle
every potential threat would be misleading and unhelpful.
Worse, it could lead to confusion in an actual incident
- the advice given for one type of situation might be
wrong in different circumstances.
We, and the emergency services, will provide immediate
information and advice in the event of a discernible
threat or a specific incident.
At the moment, we do not believe that the best way
to offer useful, up-to-date advice is to issue a national
leaflet.
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There has been a lot of media coverage
about people getting smallpox vaccinations. Do I need
a vaccination and can I get one from my GP?
No. Smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980. Consequently,
smallpox vaccinations are not available on the NHS through
family doctors and General Practitioners do not hold
stocks of the vaccine.
The Department of Health holds a strategic stock for
use in an emergency, which can and will be distributed
quickly in the event of a bio-terrorism incident involving
smallpox, but they are not currently recommending vaccination
for the wider UK public. This decision follows World
Health Organisation guidelines about how best to protect
the public. It has not been taken lightly, and the situation
is being kept under very careful review.
The Department of Health have recommended vaccination
for a small number of frontline health-service staff
and military personnel. This is because these frontline
staff and personnel would provide the first response
if there were a confirmed, suspected or threatened release
of smallpox.
Contingency plans for dealing with smallpox are detailed
in the draft guidelines on smallpox available on the
Department
of Health website.
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Is it safe to visit and travel around
London?
London has lived with the threat of terrorism for more
than 30 years. Operational responses are well co-ordinated,
regularly practised and continually reviewed.
Since the September 11 attacks in the US, additional
measures have been taken, including specific counter-terrorism
funding to the Metropolitan Police and detailed work
by London Underground with the emergency services and
security services to ensure systems are in place to
deter or deal with an attack.
Strategic emergency planning for the Capital is lead
by the London Resilience Forum (LRF). The LRF considers
all aspects of the threat against the Capital and has
contingency plans in place, which are regularly exercised.
The LRF is chaired by Nick Raynsford as Minister for
London Resilience, with the Mayor as his deputy, and
comprises the heads of the emergency services and London
Underground, plus senior-level representatives from
the city's local authorities and utilities, as well
as the Home Office and the Cabinet Office.
More information is available on the LRF
website.
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Is there anyone I should be looking
out for specifically?
It is their actions that give terrorists away, not
their appearances. While you should stay alert to suspicious
behaviour, it is very important to remember that terrorism
affects us all. No community or religion should be made
a scapegoat for the actions of terrorists. People of
many faiths died on September 11, and the leaders of
all faiths condemned the attacks.
We have a clear vision of a multi-cultural Britain
- one that values the contribution made by each of our
many ethnic, cultural and faith communities.
We are determined to see a truly dynamic society, in
which people from different backgrounds can live and
work together - whilst retaining their distinctive identities
- in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding.
If you see harassment or discrimination, do not ignore
it. It is everyone's responsibility to prevent it.
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What if there is a terrorist attack
and my children are at school?
In the event of a specific terrorist threat or incident,
the local police will work with schools to ensure they
are protected and to enact their emergency plans as
necessary. The action taken would depend on the incident
itself, and would not be very different from the emergency
plans that schools already have for fire evacuations
and bomb threats.
All schools and Local Education Authorities in England
have been made aware that they can access guidance on
dealing with terrorism via the UK
Resilience website. Many local authorities have
also issued guidance to schools in their area to assist
in emergency planning.
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Is it safe to fly?
The UK aviation security regime is one of the most
developed in the world. It was further tightened in
the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United
States. The programme is kept under permanent review
and adjusted when necessary.
Our aviation security programme works on many levels,
with measures for all stages of the process - from check-in
through to the flight itself. Not all of the measures
are obvious: a lot goes on behind the scenes.
In May 2002 the Home Office and the Department for
Transport appointed Sir John Wheeler to carry out a
major independent review of airport security and policing.
With the Department for Transport, we accepted and are
now implementing the additional measures recommended
in his October 2002 report.
Security measures on the ground currently include an
enhanced passenger searching regime, and a tightening
up of the articles that cannot be taken into an aircraft
cabin.
Amongst in-flight security measures are regulations
ensuring that cockpit doors on all aircraft leaving
the UK and using UK airspace are locked. We are also
implementing a requirement to fit strengthened cockpit
doors, six months ahead of the international deadline.
In 2002, we also decided to reinforce the existing
package of measures for in-flight security by developing
a capability to place covert, specially trained armed
police officers aboard UK civil aircraft, should that
be warranted.
For more information, go to the Aviation
section of the Department for Transport website.
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What about my pets or animals?
The handling of animals, including pets, would depend
very much on the particular circumstances of an incident.
In drawing up contingency plans following the deliberate
release of biological agents, such as infectious diseases,
we have given consideration to the handling of animals.
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Should businesses
purchase their own equipment to detect chemical, biological
or radiological materials as part of their counter-terrorism
contingency plans?
No. We take contingency planning for potential
terrorist attack very seriously and are working with the
emergency services to ensure that they have the equipment
they need to protect the public from the use of chemical,
biological or radiological (CBR) materials. Effective
measures are in place to detect such substances on a
routine basis, where required, and equipment is regularly
tested by independent scientists and other relevant
agencies, including the emergency services.
The demanding and potentially dangerous job of detecting
such materials should therefore be left to personnel
in the emergency services and responsible agencies who
are professionally trained in the necessary equipment.
Businesses considering measures to prevent or reduce
the impact of terrorism should contact the counter-terrorist
security adviser in their local police force who will
be able to give further advice.
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Is it true
that it is easy for potential terrorists to obtain dangerous
chemicals and dirty bomb ingredients in the UK?
No, this is not true. We provided
a full set of answers to questions raised by a recent
BBC programme. These can be viewed
here.
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