Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the planned 2027 homeland defence exercise will test the ability of essential services, including electricity, telecommunications, banking and payments, food distribution, and transport, to continue operating during simultaneous disruption lasting seven days or more; and whether the exercise will involve relevant private-sector operators, local authorities, and voluntary organisations.

The Cabinet Office has committed to delivering one major ‘Tier 1’ Ministerial exercise annually under the National Exercising Programme.

The detail of Exercise ALBISTON SHADOW, the 2027 Homeland Defence exercise, is classified. The Cabinet Office recognises the valuable role that the voluntary sector, local authorities and private-sector operators play in all aspects of resilience. Much of this exercise will be conducted at higher levels of classification and only limited details will be made public.