Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 88 of the policy paper entitled UK Government Resilience Action Plan, published on 14 July 2025, how many meetings have been attended by civil servants within their Department in relation to the Home Defence Programme; which directorate in the Department owns the Departmental contribution to the Home Defence Programme; and what the job title is of the civil servant leading and cohering the Departmental contribution to the Home Defence Programme.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Resilience Action Plan sets out the Government’s strategic approach to how we will strengthen our domestic resilience and invest to protect the nation. Cabinet Office officials regularly attend meetings to discuss the implementation of the Resilience Action Plan as well as matters of national security and defence.
The Cabinet Office coordinates the Home Defence Programme working closely with the MoD and other departments. This is led by the COBR Director and COBR Directorate, with oversight by the Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) for Intelligence, Defence and Security.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, how many meetings officials from their Department have attended on the national conversation on defence and security; which directorate in their Department is responsible for the departmental contribution to that national conversation; and what the job title is of the official responsible.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Cabinet Office Officials regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security, defence and resilience as well as the associated public communications required to deliver these lines of efforts. The conversation on National Defence was a recommendation in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which the Government accepted. The Ministry of Defence is the lead department for delivering the SDR, with support from the Cabinet Office, and particularly from the National Security Secretariat.
As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year, cross-departmental effort designed to deliver on the whole-of-society approach to national security and defence. This allows the Government, the private sector and public to play their part in strengthening the UK’s resilience to any potential future shocks. This work addresses the risks and threats the UK faces, including those above and below the threshold of an armed attack.
The Cabinet Office is actively leading and coordinating this work through the Home Defence Programme owned by the COBR Director and COBR Directorate, with oversight by the Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) for Intelligence, Defence and Security.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Prime Minister will discuss with Ministerial colleagues a) the adequacy of security arrangements for Ministers and the Royal Family, b) the adequacy of security arrangements at all UK military installations, and c) the robustness of our continuity of government plans.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not comment on security arrangements.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 88 of the UK Government Resilience Action Plan, how many meetings the Prime Minister has attended related to the Home Defence Programme.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Prime Minister has regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience. The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s resilience to any potential escalation to conflict. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK, informed by and reflecting the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how many (a) public engagements and (b) private meetings the Prime Minister has undertaken related to the national conversation on defence and security.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation is a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience.
This addresses the risks we face, including threats below and above the threshold of an armed attack. The Prime Minister has regular discussions with officials, Ministers and serving personnel at all levels, and engages with international allies at major summits including NATO, the G7, and the Coalition of the Willing
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how many (a) public engagements and (b) private meetings Ministers in their Department have undertaken related to the national conversation on defence and security.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Ministers have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience, and associated public communications.
As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience. This addresses the risks we face, including threats below and above the threshold of an armed attack.
The Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme has begun this work by starting to familiarise the public with their role in national security and resilience, and is supporting associated communications led by the Ministry of Defence on reserves. Effective public information and advice on emergency preparedness, available through the Prepare website (https://www.gov.uk/prepare), is central to our whole-of-society approach — when people know what immediate action they should take during an emergency, they strengthen our national resilience.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 88 of the UK Government Resilience Action Plan, how many meetings Ministers have attended related to the Home Defence Programme.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Ministers have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience.
The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s resilience to any potential escalation to conflict. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK. It is informed by and reflects the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.
The Cabinet Office coordinates the Home Defence Programme, working closely with the MoD and other departments.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 84 of the UK Government Resilience Action Plan, when the Lead Government Department Expectations will be published.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
We plan to publish the Lead Government Department Expectations in Spring 2026.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the title is of the Senior Responsible Owner leading on the (a) Home Defence Programme and (b) Resilience Action Plan.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Resilience Action Plan and Home Defence Programme are led by the COBR Director and COBR Directorate, with oversight by the Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) for Intelligence, Defence and Security. Ministerial oversight is provided by the Security Minister.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what part of his Department is leading on the Home Defence programme.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Resilience Action Plan and Home Defence Programme are led by the COBR Director and COBR Directorate, with oversight by the Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) for Intelligence, Defence and Security. Ministerial oversight is provided by the Security Minister.