The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

01 Introduction

Summary

• This Section contains guidance on the integration of national contingency plans and local arrangements.
• The documents link to the full national plans which will not be replicated.
• The integration is based on the structures outlined in Section 1 of Preparing Scotland.

Introduction

1.1 This Section contains guidance on the integration of national contingency plans and local emergency response arrangements.

1.2 The philosophy and structures that support the management of emergency response at local, Scottish and UK levels are outlined in Section 1¹ they have been tried and tested over a number of years and have been shown to be effective. Whenever emergency plans are initiated their effectiveness will be reviewed and lessons that are identified will influence preparation through Preparing Scotland.

1.3Preparing Scotland makes it clear that planning for particular emergencies, or emergencies of a particular kind, should be based upon generic plans. There are a number of risks that require a specific response at national level. They include, as examples, outbreaks of infectious disease, terrorism, oil and coastal pollution, radiation emergencies. Specific planning may also identify a need for specialist expertise, management arrangements or mobilisation of national resources.

1.4 This Section will describe the integration of UK or Scottish level specific plans and local arrangements. It is written with a view to reducing duplication, promoting consistency at all levels and providing clarity regarding roles, responsibilities and communication for all involved.

1.5 The Chapters of this Section outline the management arrangements for specific risks. They assume that, in the event of an emergency occurring:

• the Strategic Co-ordinating Group will initiate its arrangements for management of response at all local levels - strategic, tactical and operational, albeit that some levels may conduct business remotely by telephone, video conferencing or other means;
• the Scottish Executive will initiate its arrangements for the Scottish Executive Emergency Room ( SEER) calling on its Emergency Action and Emergency Support Teams;
• the lead UK Government department will initiate its arrangements which will be linked to the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms ( COBR);
• SEER and COBR will establish communications links; and
• specific national arrangements to support and advise local responders are pre-planned.

1.6 The Chapters will describe the roles and responsibilities and reporting arrangements related to any pre-planned specific response groups. Responsibility for making the formal links between external responders and local groups will be specified.

1.7 Each Chapter will describe the management structure that links local arrangements to Scottish and UK arrangements for a specific risk. A broad outline of specific structures is shown below in Figure 1. It is built upon the generic structure described in Section 1².

1.8 Details of the lead government department can be accessed at: www.ukresilience.info/response/ukgovernment/handling/responsibilities.shtm. In general terms where an emergency has consequences in Scotland the Scottish Executive is the lead department. If the emergency lies within the policy area of a single Scottish Executive Department that Department will lead the Executive's response in SEER. If the emergency relates to a reserved matter, for example, a terrorist incident, the lead remains with a UK Government department supported by the Scottish Executive which leads on consequence management in Scotland.

1.9 "National arrangements" are complementary measures put in place to deal with aspects of a particular emergency. For example, in the event of a nuclear emergency the industry has well established arrangements to co-ordinate its joint response.

1.10 A "Specific Response Team" is one that is established to deal with a particular event. For example, in the event of pandemic 'flu a Pandemic Influenza Management Team will be established in each Strategic Coordinating Group area.

1.11 Each Chapter in Section 4 will provide links to source materials, guidance and national plans.

Figure 1 Scottish Structures showing Integration of specific, UK Government and national management

« Previous | Contents | Next »