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Section 3 - ERAD Headquarters Structures
41. This section describes how the disease control decisions will be implemented in Scotland at the national policy level and on the ground.
42. On identification of an AI/ ND outbreak anywhere in GB, the Head of the Animal Health and Welfare Division will establish 2 units - AI/ ND Strategy Unit and AI/ ND Operational Unit, details of which are provided below:
AI/ ND Strategy Unit |
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Role: To ensure that key interests inside the Scottish Executive (e.g. Environment Group, Tourism Group, Public health policy, Press Office) and outside (e.g. Scottish Parliament, FSA, SEPA, stakeholders) are kept fully informed of developments and to support the general management of disease control related policy. Location: Pentland House, Edinburgh. Responsibilities: Secretariat - General support to the DSG and Stakeholder Group.
- Dissemination of notes of meetings/instructions.
Communications - Dissemination of policy to public/farmers/media.
- Quick and effective communication to those in the field.
- Departmental and Inter-Departmental liaison.
- Stakeholder liaison.
- Parliamentary Statements.
- Parliamentary Questions.
- Briefing.
- Contact point for enquiries from agencies and stakeholders.
- Creation and management of a Helpline.
- Creation and management of an AI/ ND website.
- Dealing with AI/ ND related correspondence (Ministerial and Official).
- Handling national policy issues which develop during the response to the outbreak and its aftermath.
- Co-ordinating a response to any legal appeals against the Scottish Executive's handling of AI/ ND (e.g. over culling powers) in conjunction with the Office of the Solicitor to the Scottish Executive ( OSSE).
Access - Policy lead on access.
- Attend Access Forum (if required).
The Unit includes a dedicated AI/ ND Press Officer, Communications Co-ordinator and an Access Officer seconded from SE Environment Group. These roles are described in more depth in the communication strategy. |
AI/ ND Operational Policy Unit |
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Role: Managing the operational side, and in particular legislation. Location: Pentland House, Edinburgh Responsibilities: Legislation Team - Responsible for producing various Statutory Instruments and Declarations needed to be created to support the Scottish Executive's response.
- Supported by a dedicated Solicitor (who would also be available to other Units dealing with AI/ ND - e.g. the strategy in responding to any judicial reviews).
- A local authority enforcement/trading standards officer may be brought in as an advisor on the practical aspects of enforcing legislation.
Movements Team - Responsible for devising and implementing movement regimes.
- Works alongside Legislation Team.
- Responsible for policy in Scotland relating to poultry movements.
- Includes Agriculture Staff and veterinary input.
- Communication with SEERAD Area Offices, Agricultural Census Branch in SEERAD, Other Government Departments, stakeholders, Local Authorities, police.
Compensation Policy Team - To provide a link between SEERAD and Defra.
- Introduce appropriate secondary legislation (in conjunction with Legislation Team).
- Responsible for policy in Scotland relating to compensation.
- Liaison with valuers.
- Co-ordinate the administration of compensation claims in Scotland.
(Defra are responsible for compensation payments, but policy liaison and oversight will be required). Staffing Core membership of Units: provided by the Animal Health and Welfare Division
Additional technical input: provided from Agriculture Staff and veterinary colleagues
Additional admin input: provided from elsewhere within the Scottish Executive |
43. A series of daily meetings will be scheduled to take place across the Command and Control Disease Management Structures. Internal team briefing meetings form part of this schedule and are to be held at regular intervals throughout each day. Representatives from the main headquarters disease control teams, Agricultural Staff, Press Office, and CAP Management and Agricultural Policy Divisions will attend. Lasting approximately 30 minutes these meetings will provide a forum for immediate concerns/ key points of information to be raised and corrective action identified.
Time should be built in for liaison with SCG(s); this Plan will not specify how SCGs should conduct their business at this level, but SCGs should consider the timetable below.
Schedule of Meetings
| 07:30-08:00 | 08:00- 08:30 | 09:30-10:00 | 10:00-11:30 | 11:30-12:00 | 12:00-12:30 | 14:00- 15:00 | 15:30-16:00 | 16:15-17:15 | 18:00 | 19:00-19:30 | 21:00 |
Strategic ( NDCC) | Team Brief | | | Emergency Direction Group | | Team Brief | RODs Teleconference | | Emergency Direction Group | Receive RODs Sitrep | Team Brief | NDCC Report Compiled and Circulated |
Pentland House | | Team Brief | DSG | | Team Brief | | DSG | | Team Brief | | |
Operational ( LDCC) | Team Brief | Daily Manage- ment Control Meeting | | | | stake-holder Mtg (Freq to be agreed) Team Brief | RODs Teleconference | | Team Brief | Send SitReps to HQ/ NDCC | | |
Veterinary Unit |
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The expertise of the Veterinary Unit will be fundamental to the Scottish Executive's response to an AI/ ND outbreak. Policy decisions will be based on veterinary risk assessments. Role: The CVO Scotland will provide veterinary advice to Ministers and officials on AI/ ND control in Scotland. The Veterinary Unit will provide veterinary expertise to inform all policy decisions. |
Pentland House Agricultural Staff |
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Agricultural staff has technical expertise in livestock, including poultry, farming and will be vital in informing policy decisions. Role: To provide advice and support to the DSG, Ministers and Strategy Unit.
To provide the link between the Agricultural Offices and Headquarters. Responsibility for the initial production of the Zone map(s) remains with Page Street, London, but in close consultation with SVS staff in Pentland House, Agricultural Staff and Animal Health and Welfare Division. There will be a requirement for Agricultural staff to produce related maps for a variety of purposes, for example, Press Office, Web page and letters to farmers. Agricultural staff will draw on the expertise of CAP Management and Drawing Office staff for mapping duties. Licences In an extensive outbreak, it is likely that licence to slaughter and movement licence schemes will be introduced. One of the key responsibilities of the Agricultural Staff will be facilitating these. - All licences for use in the Protection and Surveillance Zones will be issued from the LDCC.
- For licences for use outside the PZ and SZ, the Agricultural Staff will work with the Operations Unit to draw up licences, and guidelines for how they should be used. They will also issue these licences from HQ in Pentland House.
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