Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on civil contingencies of the policies announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

My officials and I worked closely with departments and the Treasury in preparing for the spending review to ensure that crucial civil contingencies capabilities were maintained. The settlement outlined in the Autumn Statement strikes the right balance between protecting the public and communities and reducing the budget deficit.