Upgrading Emergency Service Communications - Recall inquiry
Closed
What the inquiry looked at
“The Emergency Services Network is one of the most technologically advanced systems worldwide and is set to replace the existing emergency services communication system, Airwave. However several risks have been highlighted in a recent National Audit Office (NAO) report . The Government is seeking to upgrade the radio system used by the police, fire and ambulance services with a system that is not yet in use nationwide anywhere in the world, and therefore carries significant implementation risk, according to the National Audit Office. The communication systems used by our emergency services can literally make the difference between life and death for members of the public and the services themselves. The current communication service, Airwave, has served the emergency services effectively, and has averaged 99.9% availability since April 2010. It is, however an expensive system, costing £1,300 per handheld or vehicle-mounted device per year, and its data capabilities are poor. In addition, a deteriorating commercial relationship with Airwave after 2010 meant that the government did not believe an extension or re-procurement would offer value for money. The Government has been looking at options to replace Airwave when the contracts expire, and has set up the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme to carry out this work. The Government's chosen option to replace Airwave is known as the Emergency Services Network (ESN). ESN is inherently high risk. It is expected to save money by using parts of an existing commercial 4G network, that of EE. International comparison work, commissioned by the NAO, has concluded that the proposed ESN solution is the most advanced in the world, with only one other country—South Korea—seeking to deploy a similar solution. There are significant technical challenges that the programme needs to overcome including working with EE to increase the coverage and resilience of its 4G network so that it at least matches Airwave and developing handheld and vehicle mounted devices as no devices currently exist that would work on ESN.”
The committee's words, from the inquiry page on parliament.uk ↗.
What it found
In the event of an emergency, including a terrorist attack, the need for the emergency services to communicate is an essential part of keeping the public safe. We are greatly concerned that the start date for the new system for communication (the Emergency Services Network) is not only delayed but is not likely to be deliverable. The Home Office was running the planned programme to ambitiously tight deadlines which have now slipped. The Department’s contingency measure to manage the transition to the new system was to extend Airwave month by month until the new system was in place.
The news that part of the existing Airwave system will be taken out of service early strikes a major, potentially catastrophic, blow to the ability of our emergency services to carry out their job and keep citizens safe. In addition, it now seems inevitable that taxpayers will also be paying substantial additional sums, with no certainty of delivery.
The change of leadership with a new Permanent Secretary at the Home Office adds to our concerns.
What the government said
No government response is linked to this report.
How the inquiry ran
Each dot is a dated item listed on this page, from the inquiry's opening on 27 January 2017 to its close on 4 January 2018.
- Oral evidence 1 Feb 2017
- Report 21 Apr 2017
What it recommended
The committee's recommendations are not listed here yet. Read them in 52nd Report - Upgrading emergency service communications – recall ↗ on parliament.uk.
Evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1
- 1 Feb 2017No witnesses recordedparliament.uk ↗