Ahead of the peak of winter planning period, Peter Aldous questions the Government on efforts to ensure that Government Departments are properly co-ordinating with local authorities to ensure resilience in key services through the winter.
Winter Preparedness
Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)
9. What steps his Department is taking to support the operation of public services during the winter months. (902668)
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Oliver Dowden)
The Cabinet Office has well-established processes to support Departments and their sectors to ensure the effective delivery of key services over the winter. They are underpinned by comprehensive risk assessments and contingency plans for a wide range of risks, including industrial action and severe weather. The national resilience framework will be the first iteration of our new strategic approach. It will strengthen the systems, structures and capabilities that underpin the UK’s resilience to all risks.
...
Peter Aldous
As we approach the peak of winter planning, I would be most grateful if my right hon. Friend set out the role of the Cabinet Office in ensuring that Government Departments are properly co-ordinated, in both their communications and their actions, with local resilience forums and local authorities.
Oliver Dowden
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that this is the central role of the Cabinet Office. We continually watch for emerging risks, and support Departments and their sectors to develop contingency plans for a wide range of scenarios. My officials work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to share intelligence on those risks with local authorities.