Mentions:
1: Lord Harris of Haringey (Lab - Life peer) Only one network provider was prepared to bid. - Speech Link
2: Lord Coaker (Lab - Life peer) My Lords, the Government are supposed to be introducing a new emergency services network, but, as my - Speech Link
Correspondence Jan. 31 2024
Committee: Home Affairs Committee (Department: Home Office)Found: Letter to the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office on the delivery of the Emergency Services Network
Correspondence Feb. 21 2024
Committee: Home Affairs Committee (Department: Home Office)Found: Letter from the Permanent Secretary regarding the Emergency Services Network, dated 9 February 2024 Correspondence
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the original completion date for the Emergency Services Network critical communications system; what his planned timetable is for the completion of that project; and what is the (a) original and (b) current cost estimate for that project.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Emergency Services Network (ESN) will replace the Airwave communications service currently used by Britain’s emergency services and transform the way they operate.
The Programme’s 2021 revised Full Business Case set out the expectation that the transition to ESN would start in 2024 with Airwave shut down by the end of 2026. In 2021 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into Motorola’s profits on Airwave and as a result Motorola left the Programme in December 2022. Motorola’s withdrawal from the Programme means this timeline cannot now be achieved. The CMA’s final report in 2023 ruled that Motorola had enjoyed ‘supernormal’ profits and recommended Charge Controls on the Airwave service. This ruling was upheld by the Competition Appeal Tribunal in December 2023.
The Home Office is in the process of procuring a new supplier for mobile radio and data services and intends to release a revised Business Case in 2024, which will set out a new timetable and costs, taking into account the impact of procurement activity and the proposed CMA Charge Control. Recent NAO and PAC reports have indicated that Airwave Shutdown by December 2026 is now unlikely to be achieved, but new timescales cannot be confirmed until the procurement is complete. ESN must be ready prior to Airwave shut down and time has been set aside to allow a safe and orderly transition of users.
The 2021 Full Business Case estimated the cost of the programme to deliver ESN at £1.6bn, compared with the original estimate of £1.2bn. When combined with the Airwave and Legacy contracts, and the ongoing costs of the replacement ESN service, the total cost of providing critical emergency services communications between 2015/16 and 2036/37 in the July 2021 FBC was estimated at £11.3bn. This assumed Airwave and legacy system costs of approximately £450m annually compared with ESN at around £250m per annum. The Charge Control imposed by the CMA will save the taxpayer in the region of £200m a year for the period 2023 to 202.
The Home Office’s priority is to deliver the ESN as swifty and safely as possible and Airwave will only be shut down when it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the original estimated completion date for the Emergency Services Network critical communications system was; what his most recent estimate is for the completion date of that project; and what (a) the original cost estimate was for and (b) his most recent cost estimate is for that project.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Emergency Services Network will replace the Airwave communications service currently used by Britain’s emergency services and transform the way they operate.
The July 2021 Full Business Case (FBC) estimated the cost of the programme to deliver ESN at £1.6bn, compared with the original estimate of £1.2bn. When combined with the Airwave and Legacy contracts, and the ongoing costs of the replacement ESN service, the total cost of providing critical emergency services communications between 2015/16 and 2036/37 in the July 2021 FBC was estimated at £11.3bn. This assumed Airwave and legacy system costs of approximately £450m annually compared with ESN at around £250m per annum. This estimated a target Airwave Shutdown Date of December 2026. The original estimated completion date was 2019.
In April 2021 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into Motorola’s profits on Airwave and as a result Motorola left the Programme in December 2022.
The CMA’s final report recommended Charge Controls on the Airwave service that if confirmed will save the taxpayer in the region of £200m a year for the period 2023 to 2029. This is pending the outcome of Motorola’s appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
The Home Office is in the process of procuring a new supplier for mobile radio and data services and intends to release a revised Business Case in 2024, which will set out a new timetable and costs, taking into account the impact of procurement activity and proposed CMA Charge Control.
The Home Office is committed to delivering ESN as swiftly and safely as possible and Airwave will not be switched off until the conditions for full transition have been met.
Report Jul. 14 2023
Committee: Public Accounts CommitteeFound: Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Services Network HC 1006 Report
Mar. 28 2024
Source Page: New PSGA data will help speed up emergency response timesFound: New PSGA data will help speed up emergency response times
Mar. 28 2024
Source Page: New PSGA data will help speed up emergency response timesFound: New PSGA data will help speed up emergency response times
Jul. 19 2011
Source Page: Coroner's inquests into the London bombings of 7 July 2005: Government response to the Report under rule 43 of the Coroner's Rules 1984. 23 p.Found: services that affect the underground network, and (ii) informs the emergency services of an emergency
Oct. 14 2009
Source Page: Consolidated version of general conditions as at 1 August 2009 (including annotations): schedule to the notification under section 48(1) of the Communications Act 2003. 80 p.Found: Regulation of Vo IP Services: Access to the Emergency Services - Statement and publication of a