Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish guidance on potential scenarios that will trigger the emergency alert system.

The Emergency Alerts capability is expected to be trialed nationally later this year with a focus over the winter on extreme weather related events. Subject to the outcome of an evaluation in the spring, its scope will likely be widened to other use cases. There will always be a very high threshold for issuing an alert based on strict criteria centered on an immediate threat to life and the applicability of the capability to the event in hand, rather than a scenario driven approach.

The launch will be preceded by a public information campaign culminating in a national welcome message - a simultaneous test message sent to all compatible mobile phones across the United Kingdom. This approach has been found elsewhere to maximise awareness and understanding on how recipients should react on receiving alerts.

Prior to launch, the Cabinet Office will also brief Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) on the system and its purpose. Guidance and other information will be published on Resilience Direct - an online platform for emergency responders managed by the Cabinet Office which LRFs can access.

The Emergency Alerts capability will complement rather than supersede other tools available to responders to communicate with the public in emergency situations. Those unable to be notified by this new capability will therefore be alerted by other existing mechanisms, for example, by text or phone messages, social and broadcast media.