Recommendations & Conclusions
19 items
2
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The Department’s failure to deliver ESN creates a significant cost for the emergency services who must pay to fund ESN and to maintain Airwave for longer. Delays have meant the Department itself has actually spent less than it expected on ESN, but the ultimate users of ESN have had to …
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The Department’s failure to deliver ESN creates a significant cost for the emergency services who must pay to fund ESN and to maintain Airwave for longer. Delays have meant the Department itself has actually spent less than it expected on ESN, but the ultimate users of ESN have had to pay more. The emergency services must contribute, alongside funding from the Department, the Department of Health & Social Care and the Scottish and Welsh governments, to the cost of both ESN and Airwave, and will get no benefit from ESN until Airwave is turned off. Emergency services need to decide how to replace ageing Airwave devices and control rooms, but do not have enough information to know when to do this, because the Department has no timetable for ESN. Emergency services are facing financial pressures and have had to temporarily disband teams who will work on the transition to ESN, risking the loss of vital skills. The Department has not created any specific mechanism for helping emergency services bear the extra costs created by failing to deliver ESN. The CMA has proposed a charge control on Airwave which, once implemented, will make Airwave less expensive to run. But Airwave will still require investment to replace potentially obsolescent infrastructure and technology, and to ensure it keeps operating at its current good performance level. The Department does not yet understand the extent of these costs. Recommendation 2: As part of the new ESN business case, the Department should explore with users how savings created by the CMA imposing a charge control on Airwave can be used to help fund transition activities and new Airwave devices as well as maintaining Airwave. 6 The Emergency Services Network
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation and will continue to engage with users to determine how best to support transition activities, acknowledging scope to reduce local costs. The ESN business case is being reviewed to reflect the CMA ruling and new procurements.
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HM Treasury
3
Recommendation
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The Department cannot yet prove to the emergency services that ESN will be good enough to replace Airwave. There is now a broad consensus among emergency services and the programme’s Independent Assurance Panel that ESN can work and that it remains the right approach. The Department believes that a widening …
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The Department cannot yet prove to the emergency services that ESN will be good enough to replace Airwave. There is now a broad consensus among emergency services and the programme’s Independent Assurance Panel that ESN can work and that it remains the right approach. The Department believes that a widening market means ESN can now use off-the-shelf technology, but it is difficult for such a product to fully replicate Airwave, because Airwave is more complex than similar networks in other countries. Because each emergency service will decide for itself whether ESN can replace Airwave, the Department needs robust evidence from rigorous testing to prove that ESN fully meets all the needs of emergency services. Currently the Department does not have an agreed plan for when the different parts of ESN will be ready. Although emergency services are confident that the Department understands their needs, the Department’s past approach to testing ESN has not been good enough, and there is still much left to check, including that coverage is available everywhere it is needed, including in buildings. Recommendation 3: The Department should set out an outline plan for the main building blocks of ESN by the end of 2023, including when they will be prototyped, built, and tested in real world conditions, and which includes sufficient time for testing by emergency services, and allows feedback to be incorporated into the final version of ESN. This information should inform the main business case which we understand is due in the first quarter of 2024.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and has developed a comprehensive control plan, covering all prototyping, testing, and user transition activities, with durations agreed with users. This plan is currently under user consultation and will be agreed before the end of 2023.
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HM Treasury
4
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
We remain concerned the Department does not have the capability to successfully bring the various elements of ESN together. ESN is a complex programme which was set up using a commercial approach that the Department admits is suboptimal but has decided not to change. Persisting with the same commercial structure …
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We remain concerned the Department does not have the capability to successfully bring the various elements of ESN together. ESN is a complex programme which was set up using a commercial approach that the Department admits is suboptimal but has decided not to change. Persisting with the same commercial structure means it will still have to contend with the same problems of integrating the work of different suppliers. The software Motorola was delivering must work seamlessly with EE’s network, control room systems provided by an unknown number of vendors, and with devices (in aircraft and vehicles as well as handsets). We have often seen integration cause issues in major programmes, and remain concerned that the Department does not have the skills to make this work effectively. It has previously tried to use contracts to make suppliers responsible for integration or to acquire capabilities, but these approaches have not worked so far. Recommendation 4: By the time the new user services contract is in place, the Department should obtain an independent opinion on whether ESN has a credible integration plan and the resources in place to deliver it.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and will commission the Independent Assurance Panel (IAP) to monitor, comment on, and assure the integration plans of bidders for the User Services contract, their delivery, and dedicated resources, as well as overall integration with the mobile services contract.
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HM Treasury
5
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
It is still not clear how the Department will ensure that there are clearly defined responsibilities or plans in place for operating ESN as a live service, raising questions about whether ESN will provide the intended benefits for the emergency services. The expected benefits from ESN will only materialise if …
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It is still not clear how the Department will ensure that there are clearly defined responsibilities or plans in place for operating ESN as a live service, raising questions about whether ESN will provide the intended benefits for the emergency services. The expected benefits from ESN will only materialise if it is run effectively. For example, there will need to be a way of ensuring that any unforeseen consequences of ESN, such the prioritisation of ESN users preventing the public from communicating in an emergency, are appropriately managed. It will take at least 10 years before financial benefits from ESN will recoup the taxpayers’ investment, and widespread use of commercial mobile data by emergency services has already reduced the potential efficiencies that ESN might bring. ESN could still help emergency services to coordinate their responses to major events and The Emergency Services Network 7 standardise approaches to data. The latter will only happen if apps are developed for emergency services to use, but ESN has no current plans to enable this. The Department’s current plans assume it will be responsible for running ESN as a live service, but it has paused work to design a future operating model. Recommendation 5: As part of the new business case, the Department should create a plan for how it will restart work on how ESN will operate as a live service and ensure the emergency services agree that the future operating model meets their needs.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and is actively working to define and implement the ESN operating model, including clarifying supplier roles, updating the Service Integrator definition, developing a new user billing model, and a newly appointed Live Service Manager to complete the overall Programme Operating model.
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HM Treasury
6
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The Department risks creating a new monopoly supplier in EE, which could reduce long-term value for money. EE provides the main network infrastructure, but although it has made progress extending network coverage, it has not delivered on time, and still has work to complete. The Department has not introduced competition …
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The Department risks creating a new monopoly supplier in EE, which could reduce long-term value for money. EE provides the main network infrastructure, but although it has made progress extending network coverage, it has not delivered on time, and still has work to complete. The Department has not introduced competition as quickly as it intended and, following previous extensions, it plans to award EE a new contract, again without competition. While the Department remains tied into a single network provider, emergency services cannot benefit from services provided by other operators. The Department claims it will be able to introduce competition later, because all its suppliers are following telecommunications standards, but incompatible assumptions made by different ESN suppliers about which telecommunication standards would be used was one of the issues that led to the 2018 reset. Recommendation 6: The Department should ensure that the new EE contract for ESN network infrastructure includes sufficient protection against EE making excessive profits and requires all infrastructure to fully comply with telecommunications standards and allows other network suppliers can be introduced in future if they are better value. 8 The Emergency Services Network 1 Progress delivering ESN
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Government response AI summary
The government stated the new EE contract will be open book with a gain share mechanism to protect against excessive profits. It will allow reprocurement of ESN suppliers in two years and confirms the program adheres to international technical standards.
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HM Treasury
1
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Home Office (the Department), the Emergency Service Network (ESN) programme’s Independent Assurance Panel, and representatives of the police, fire and ambulance services.1
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On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Home Office (the Department), the Emergency Service Network (ESN) programme’s Independent Assurance Panel, and representatives of the police, fire and ambulance services.1
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Government response AI summary
The government describes the ongoing work of the Independent Assurance Panel (IAP) with the programme, noting its continuous assessment, endorsement of strategic direction, and plans for future reports and tasking based on programme progress.
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HM Treasury
9
Recommendation
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The NAO found that although replacing Motorola may have been necessary, Motorola was regarded as the market leader and replacing it does not guarantee that ESN will succeed.25 The Department said it had received enough interest from potential bidders to be confident it could find a replacement, but it would …
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The NAO found that although replacing Motorola may have been necessary, Motorola was regarded as the market leader and replacing it does not guarantee that ESN will succeed.25 The Department said it had received enough interest from potential bidders to be confident it could find a replacement, but it would take a few months to be certain.26 The programme’s Independent Assurance Panel (IAP) cautioned that Motorola’s software had done around 85% of what ESN needed and told us that although it was possible to find a replacement, the Department needs to ensure the next supplier offers credible technology.27 The impact of delays on the emergency services
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees, stating the Independent Assurance Panel (IAP) will continue to provide critical assessment and challenge throughout the programme, and international research indicates a wide range of companies will bid to replace Motorola.
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HM Treasury
15
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
Since 2015, the market for the technology underpinning ESN has matured, so we asked whether ESN is now easier to deliver. The Department agreed that the programme was no longer at the cutting edge of technology.45 It told us that several other countries are now taking a similar approach to …
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Since 2015, the market for the technology underpinning ESN has matured, so we asked whether ESN is now easier to deliver. The Department agreed that the programme was no longer at the cutting edge of technology.45 It told us that several other countries are now taking a similar approach to ESN, although some use a dedicated network, and others have involved multiple network operators.46 This means that rather than leading the way, the UK can now learn lessons from other countries.47
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees, stating the Independent Assurance Panel (IAP) has confirmed other countries are on a similar journey, reinforcing the programme's own international comparative research. The IAP will continue to provide critical assessment.
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HM Treasury
16
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The Department now intends for ESN to use technology that is ‘as off-the-shelf as it can be’.48 The Independent Assurance Panel told us that the technology ESN is proposing to use is now more credible than when ESN started, in part because telecommunications standards have moved on, and now cover …
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The Department now intends for ESN to use technology that is ‘as off-the-shelf as it can be’.48 The Independent Assurance Panel told us that the technology ESN is proposing to use is now more credible than when ESN started, in part because telecommunications standards have moved on, and now cover the features that ESN needs, including push- 36 Letter to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee from Kier Pritchard, Chief Constable, NPCC lead for ESMCP, 15 May 2023 37 Qq 47, 48 (27 March) 38 Q 51 (27 March) 39 Qq 87, 89–91 (27 March) 40 ESN0001 41 Mobile radio network services, Competition & Markets Authority, 5 April 2023 42 Qq 54–58 (27 March) 43 Q 20 (26 April) 44 Qq 54–55, 58 (27 March) 45 Q 16 (27 March); C&AG’s Report, para 14 46 Qq 69–70 (27 March) 47 Q 75 (27 March), Q 54 (26 April) 48 Qq 15, 72–74 (27 March) 12 The Emergency Services Network to-talk.49 It noted that Airwave is a sophisticated network to replace, more so than similar networks in other countries, and has many requirements that ESN technology must support.50 The Independent Assurance Panel considered that there is still a need examine the new supplier’s approach carefully, because the technology may still be a ‘little immature’.51
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees, stating that commercial officials and independent experts have reviewed contract terms for value, and the new EE contract will be open-book with a gain-share mechanism. The contract allows for reprocurement of suppliers after two years, and the program follows international technical standards.
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HM Treasury
17
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The emergency services expect to decide for themselves whether ESN is ready.52 The police representative said they had been reassured that no force will be forced to adopt ESN.53 The ambulance service was also positive, but despite a more centralised approach, there is no-one with central authority to mandate that …
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The emergency services expect to decide for themselves whether ESN is ready.52 The police representative said they had been reassured that no force will be forced to adopt ESN.53 The ambulance service was also positive, but despite a more centralised approach, there is no-one with central authority to mandate that individual ambulance trusts accept ESN.54 The fire service emphasised that, once the agreed requirements for ESN are met they expected Chief Fire Officers would be able to accept ESN.55 The Department said it had brought users inside the programme to make sure it understood the emergency service’s requirements, so that no organisation would want to ‘veto’ ESN.56 While it has tried this approach before, the Department says it had now undergone a ‘mindset shift’ on the importance of working with the emergency services.57 Emergency service representatives agreed that the Department had engaged well with national groups including the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Chiefs’ Council.58
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's points on emergency services' readiness, confirming that an ESMCP control plan, including user transition and Airwave shutdown activities, has been drafted, consulted with users, and will be agreed by end 2023, with phases agreed with users.
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HM Treasury
18
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
Emergency services were confident that ESN would be able to meet their needs. The ambulance and police representatives said they felt ESN was taking the right approach, and the fire service representative emphasised the importance of ESN meeting the requirements agreed in 2015, which it considered had only changed slightly.59 …
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Emergency services were confident that ESN would be able to meet their needs. The ambulance and police representatives said they felt ESN was taking the right approach, and the fire service representative emphasised the importance of ESN meeting the requirements agreed in 2015, which it considered had only changed slightly.59 Although the police representative agreed the Department understood their requirements, they also told us that they needed to check that the requirements were included in the latest ESN contracts. Before accepting ESN they expected formal assurance from the Department’s leadership, which they intend to independently verify. The police expected this to cover network performance as well as coverage. They said they would be concerned if time for testing was reduced.60
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and has drafted an ESMCP control plan, which includes prototyping and testing, with durations agreed with users. The plan is currently in consultation and will be agreed by end 2023.
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HM Treasury
19
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The Independent Assurance Panel agreed that testing at scale is crucial, including at real-world events such as the coronation and Notting Hill Carnival.61 We asked the Department about its previous attempts at testing parts of ESN. The Department said it had needed to be re-run some tests three times, but …
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The Independent Assurance Panel agreed that testing at scale is crucial, including at real-world events such as the coronation and Notting Hill Carnival.61 We asked the Department about its previous attempts at testing parts of ESN. The Department said it had needed to be re-run some tests three times, but had not allowed the time to do so, which had caused delays.62 When asked about providing devices for testing, the Department acknowledged that only a small number of devices had ever been provided. It committed to getting preliminary devices in ‘as many hands’ as it could over the next 18 months. It also said it would listen to user feedback, so that ESN would work at ‘3 am, 49 Qq 7, 55 (26 April) 50 Q 13, 54 (26 April) 51 Qq 6, 55, 56 (26 April) 52 C&AG’s Report, para 16 53 Q 60 (26 April) 54 Q 59 (26 April) 55 Q 62 (26 April) 56 Qq 19, 41–42 (27 March) 57 Qq 45, 46 (27 March) 58 Qq 3, 4 (26 April) 59 Qq 10, 11 (26 April) 60 Qq 1, 60–61 (26 April) 61 Q 14 (26 April) 62 Q 77 (27 March) The Emergency Services Network 13 in the dark, in the rain, with gloves on.’63 It now expects the replacement for Motorola to provide these devices, and hopes these will be off-the-shelf handsets.64 However, the NPCC considers a radio-style device is a core requirement for frontline police, ideally with the ability to work with both ESN and Airwave to reduce the risk and complexity of a future transition.65 The Department said it would consider dual-mode devices if they were not too expensive.66
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and has drafted an outline ESMCP control plan, which includes prototyping and real-world testing, with a target date of end December 2023 for agreement after user consultation. A full Programme Plan and business case will follow in 2024 after a new supplier …
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HM Treasury
21
Recommendation
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
As with most digital programmes, the various elements of ESN need to work seamlessly together for ESN to work;70 This ‘systems integration’) is one of the main risks the Department needs to manage.71 For example, the push-to-talk technology needs to integrate with handsets for individuals and devices in vehicles and …
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As with most digital programmes, the various elements of ESN need to work seamlessly together for ESN to work;70 This ‘systems integration’) is one of the main risks the Department needs to manage.71 For example, the push-to-talk technology needs to integrate with handsets for individuals and devices in vehicles and aircraft and the mobile network. Control rooms use an unknown number of other systems that link to Airwave and will therefore need upgrading. The Department does not know how many vendors provide these systems.72
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the importance of systems integration, committing to commission the IAP to monitor and assure integration plans of bidders for the User Services contract by July 2024, and to strengthen the Programme Management team with specialists and external experts to address this …
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HM Treasury
22
Recommendation
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
We queried whether the Department has the capability to manage the systems integration73 given its previous approaches had not worked.74 It agreed that it needs to strengthen its capability. When we asked if it was acquiring people with experience from other complex programmes, it said it was talking to other …
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We queried whether the Department has the capability to manage the systems integration73 given its previous approaches had not worked.74 It agreed that it needs to strengthen its capability. When we asked if it was acquiring people with experience from other complex programmes, it said it was talking to other large programmes such as Crossrail and was looking for new supplier to supplement its skills. Its current contract with Deloitte was due to end and will be replaced in 2023.75
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the need to strengthen its systems integration capability, committing to commission the IAP to monitor and assure integration plans by July 2024, and to continue strengthening the Programme Management team by recruiting specialists and partnering with external experts, including through the …
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HM Treasury
24
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The Department’s original objectives for ESN were to save money and bring mobile data to emergency services.80 It will now take at least 10 years from now for the potential 70 C&AG’s Report, para 2.11 71 Q 60 (27 March) 72 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.26, 2.11 and Figure 1 73 …
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The Department’s original objectives for ESN were to save money and bring mobile data to emergency services.80 It will now take at least 10 years from now for the potential 70 C&AG’s Report, para 2.11 71 Q 60 (27 March) 72 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.26, 2.11 and Figure 1 73 Q 61 (27 March) 74 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.12–2.13, Figure 8 75 Qq 61–63 27 March 76 C&AG’s Report, para 12 77 Q 55 (27 April) 78 Q 60 (27 March) 79 Q 32 (27 March) 80 C&AG’s Report, para 2.30 The Emergency Services Network 15 savings to recoup the total cost of ESN.81 The Department said it would not be certain about costs or benefits until it revised the programme’s business case, which it expected to do in 2024.82
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation, confirming that the ESMCP is reviewing the business case to reflect the CMA ruling and new supplier procurement, with a target implementation date of December 2023.
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HM Treasury
27
Recommendation
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
The Department has not yet decided who will be responsible for running ESN and has paused work planning the live service operations.91 The fire service said it had seen limited lack information about how this would work, for example, it was not clear whether Home Office would run ESN as …
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The Department has not yet decided who will be responsible for running ESN and has paused work planning the live service operations.91 The fire service said it had seen limited lack information about how this would work, for example, it was not clear whether Home Office would run ESN as happens with Airwave.92 We asked whether the prioritisation of ESN communications over the general public risked a reduced public service during an emergency. The Independent Assurance Panel told us that while prioritisation is not an ‘on/off’ switch, proper network management is needed to ensure the network functions appropriately.93 Avoiding another monopoly supplier
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need for clear responsibilities and plans for ESN live operations, committing to define and implement the overall Programme Operating model by March 2024, including establishing a User Services supplier as the Service Integrator and a new billing model.
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HM Treasury
28
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
In 2015, the Home Office awarded EE a six-year contract to provide the main network infrastructure for ESN. It intended for this contract to be subject to competition in the future, to avoid being locked into a single supplier and to help take advantage of 81 Qq 30, 53–54 (27 …
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In 2015, the Home Office awarded EE a six-year contract to provide the main network infrastructure for ESN. It intended for this contract to be subject to competition in the future, to avoid being locked into a single supplier and to help take advantage of 81 Qq 30, 53–54 (27 March) 82 Q 31 (27 March) 83 Q 10 (26 April) 84 Q 47 (27 March) 85 ESN0001 86 Q 4 (26 April) 87 Q 10 (26 April) 88 Q 11 (26 April) 89 Qq 12, 26 (26 April) 90 C&AG’s Report, para 2.30 91 C&AG’s Report, paras 15, 2.28 92 Q 35 (26 April) 93 Q 15 (26 April) 16 The Emergency Services Network innovations. As part of the 2018 programme reset, the Department extended EE’s contract by three years to December 2024. It currently plans to award EE a new contract, without competition, thereby extending EE’s involvement in ESN. Although EE has made progress on the network infrastructure, its work has proceeded slower than expected and was not complete, with six sites unfinished when the NAO reported in March 2022.94
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation, stating that the new contract with EE will be awarded on an open book basis with a gain share mechanism. Crucially, the contract will be structured to allow for reprocurement of all ESN suppliers around two years after …
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HM Treasury
29
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
We asked whether it would have been better to have a consortium of suppliers providing the main network infrastructure, rather than just EE.95 The Department agreed that it would prefer to be able to take advantage of a range of networks, but it felt that introducing other suppliers now would …
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We asked whether it would have been better to have a consortium of suppliers providing the main network infrastructure, rather than just EE.95 The Department agreed that it would prefer to be able to take advantage of a range of networks, but it felt that introducing other suppliers now would increase complexity.96
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's point on supplier diversity and commits to structuring the new EE contract with open book and gain share mechanisms, and enabling reprocurement of all ESN suppliers around two years post-programme completion to allow for future commercial competition.
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HM Treasury
30
Conclusion
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Ser…
Accepted
We asked the Department how it would ensure EE did not obtain a monopoly position as Motorola had done with Airwave. The Department said that to avoid being locked into EE, it would ensure all suppliers complied with telecommunication standards. It said it wanted to return to an open market …
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We asked the Department how it would ensure EE did not obtain a monopoly position as Motorola had done with Airwave. The Department said that to avoid being locked into EE, it would ensure all suppliers complied with telecommunication standards. It said it wanted to return to an open market competition once Airwave was shut down and would study what measures it would need to take.97 One of the issues that led to the programme being reset in 2018 was the incompatible assumptions made by EE and Motorola about versions of telecommunications standards.98 The Independent Assurance Panel said that, as well as complying with standards, it was important that the various parts of ESN met emergency services’ needs, in order to avoid creating a service that worked but was seen as ‘clunky’ by those using it.99 94 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.19, 2.7, Figure 6 95 Q 106 (27 March 96 Q 106 (27 March) 97 Q 107 (27 March) 98 Progress delivering the Emergency Services network, Session 2017–2019, HC 2140, para 6 99 Q 57 (26 April) The Emergency Services Network 17
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and will implement an open-book contract with EE including a gain-share mechanism and allowing for reprocurement of all ESN suppliers in about two years post-completion. The programme will also adhere to international technical standards.
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HM Treasury