Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral statement by the Prime Minister of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, column 634, if he will list the reviews relevant to national security that are taking place across the Government that will be included in the development of a new National Security Strategy.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As announced by the Prime Minister, a new national security strategy will be published in June, ahead of the NATO Summit.
There are several reviews and strategies being developed across government that will be taken into consideration. This includes the Strategic Defence Review, Defence Industrial Strategy, AUKUS Review, Industrial Strategy, and Trade Strategy. The Strategy will also take into account other ongoing national security policy development.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timetable is for the introduction of a new UK Youth Mobility scheme in partnership with the European Union.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government set out clear priorities for the reset with the EU in the manifesto. There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason funding for community resilience is not a statutory duty with accompanying funding in England and Wales.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Civil Contingencies Act and accompanying non-legislative measures deliver a single framework for civil protection in the UK.
The Government has a legal obligation to review the Act every five years. The most recent Review was published in March 2022 and concluded that the Act continues to achieve its stated objectives but also set out recommendations to strengthen the system. The review found no evidence to recommend a statutory duty for community resilience.
Several of the mandatory requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act already support community resilience building, including the publication of risk and emergency management information, warning and informing the public about emergencies, and providing business continuity advice for private and voluntary organisations. The National Resilience Standards and the Community Resilience Development Framework set out good practice for Local Resilience Forums to build community resilience.
However, in light of the recent Inquires including COVID and Grenfell, it is right that we seek to continue to improve resilience across the whole of the UK to ensure it meets the needs of the evolving risk landscape. Through the resilience review announced by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in July, we are considering a range of options for how we can help Local Resilience Forums build resilience throughout their communities.