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Interim Report - November 2001

Foreword by David Moses

Following a number of incidents requiring members of the public to be informed of the action required of them my Authority, Hertfordshire County Council, recognised that the need to improve the ability of responding agencies to undertake this vital public duty was a national problem. Consequently I was asked to convene the national workshop that recommended the establishment of the National Steering Committee (NSC).

Having chaired the initial workshop it was incumbent on me to bring together representatives of the various agencies and professional bodies who agreed to form the NSC. My intention was to facilitate the appointment of a chairman but the first meeting of the committee ended up voting me into the job.

It has been a pleasure to hold the position of chairman for the last four years and to work with colleagues who are committed to improving our collective abilities to warn the public of and provide them with information during major emergencies. Like me, they have undertaken this role alongside their day to day responsibilities. I have appreciated their support and friendship during this time and would thank them for their assistance.

The constraints of contributing to the work of the NSC on such a part-time basis has inevitably restricted the progress we would have liked to have made. I am confident that an even greater impact could have been made if it had been possible to provide the NSC with a small permanent secretariat.

This interim report draws together the work of the NSC since its establishment and makes a number of recommendations, primarily aimed at the Government. To achieve the improvements outlined in the report will require ongoing commitment from all the agencies who form the NSC and in particular from central government.

Personally, I am of the opinion that the public deserves the best possible response to major emergencies. I also firmly believe that public safety is the primary responsibility of central government and express the hope that they will not only accept the recommendations but also make the requisite resources available to implement them. It is therefore pleasing to note that, during the final stages of the preparation of this report, agreement has been reached with the Cabinet Office on proposals for four ongoing work themes.

My current responsibilities preclude me from continuing as Chairman of the NSC once this report has been published and presented to the Government. I do hope the committee continues and wish my colleagues well - the least we can do is to learn from the various incidents outlined in this report and make use of the best technologies available to communicate effectively with the public at the time they may need it the most.

David Moses
Chairman
National Steering Committee