Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Sixty-Fourth Report - The Emergency Services Network
Public Accounts Committee
HC 1006
Published 14 July 2023
Recommendations
3
Accepted
Set out ESN building blocks plan by 2023, detailing prototyping, testing, and feedback incorporation.
Recommendation
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 …
Read more
Government Response 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.
HM Treasury
View Details →
9
Accepted
Replacing Motorola does not guarantee ESN success; credible technology essential from next supplier
Recommendation
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 …
Read more
Government Response 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.
HM Treasury
View Details →
14
Acknowledged
Airwave extension requires uncosted investment in infrastructure and agreement with Motorola
Recommendation
The CMA has proposed a charge control on Airwave which, once implemented, will make Airwave cheaper for the Department and emergency services.41 The Department considers that it can extend Airwave without creating a gap in service and without any negotiation …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the implications of the CMA charge control on Airwave, stating it is reviewing the business case to reflect the ruling and engaging with users to support transition activities, but does not explicitly commit to issuing an extension notice or fully costing future Airwave investment needs.
HM Treasury
View Details →
21
Accepted
Systems integration poses major ESN risk, with unknown control room system vendors
Recommendation
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 …
Read more
Government Response 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 complexity.
HM Treasury
View Details →
22
Accepted
Department lacks capability for ESN systems integration, seeking external expertise
Recommendation
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 …
Read more
Government Response 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 Lot 2 supplier.
HM Treasury
View Details →
27
Accepted
Department has not decided ESN operational responsibility, pausing live service planning.
Recommendation
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 …
Read more
Government Response 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.
HM Treasury
View Details →
Conclusions (24)
2
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
4
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
5
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
6
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
1
Conclusion
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
Government Response 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.
7
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Department said it was not being complacent, but acknowledged that even with the best team and governance arrangements it could assemble there was both considerable risk and a lot of work to do before ESN would be ready.16 Nevertheless, it was determined to ‘crack on’ with ESN and was …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee’s observation regarding the risks and challenges of ESN and states it is fully focused on these, with ongoing involvement of the Independent Assurance Panel and progress towards a target completion date of June 2024 for the Lot 2 award.
8
Conclusion
Not Addressed
We asked whether the Department could have acted sooner to remove Motorola, and the Department acknowledged that, in hindsight, it wished different choices had been made when Motorola bought Airwave in 2016.21 The Department said it had been aware of a possibility of that Motorola might leave ESN following delays, …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees but responds by detailing current programme progress, the role of the Independent Assurance Panel (IAP) in oversight, and the competitive global market for alternative suppliers, without addressing the specific historical observations or financial estimates.
10
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The emergency services contribute, alongside funding from the Department, the Department of Health & Social Care and the Scottish and Welsh governments, to the cost of ESN. Delays to ESN meant the Department itself has spent less than it expected on ESN.28 But emergency services have had to pay for …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations, stating that if a CMA decision is upheld, there may be scope to reduce Airwave costs for users, and the department will engage to determine support for transition. However, central financial support is limited, and the ESMCP is reviewing the business case to reflect the CMA ruling and new suppliers.
11
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Emergency services are temporarily disbanding their dedicated ESN teams that had been preparing for testing and transition, and the Department explained that there was currently very little for such teams to work on. It hoped each organisation would retain a “point of contact” but acknowledged that ESN might no longer …
Government Response Summary
The government's response, which focuses on financial implications of the CMA ruling and business case review, does not address the committee's conclusion regarding the disbanding of emergency services' dedicated ESN teams or the importance of retaining points of contact.
12
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We asked the emergency services if they could quantify how much delays to ESN had cost them. The ambulance service interacts with ESN through the Ambulance Radio Programme (ARP) on which it had spent £9.5 million.34 The fire service said it had spent £6 million preparing for transition, and £2 …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's findings on the costs incurred by emergency services due to ESN delays, but states that central financial support is limited. It notes potential future cost reductions for Airwave users if a CMA decision is upheld, and the department will engage with users for transition activities.
13
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We asked the Department how the transition from Airwave to ESN would be funded. It said it would work with users to make transition affordable, but the only way to do this was through usual ‘fiscal events’.37 Although it said it would try and minimise the financial impact, it acknowledged …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the funding challenges for the Airwave to ESN transition, stating that future funding decisions are subject to HM Treasury spending reviews and that the ESMCP is reviewing the business case to incorporate CMA ruling impacts, expecting user savings from reduced Airwave costs.
15
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
16
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
17
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
18
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
19
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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 is confirmed.
20
Conclusion
Not Addressed
The coverage provided by ESN remains a key concern for emergency services.67 The NPCC was concerned that, despite commitments from the Department for ESN to be as good as Airwave, the ESN 4G signal does not penetrate buildings as successfully as Airwave.68 When we asked about the number of buildings …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's conclusion and states it has drafted an ESMCP control plan outlining main building blocks, dependencies, and testing (including real-world testing). This plan is currently out for user consultation and will be agreed upon by the end of 2023, but the response does not specifically address how building penetration issues or the 2,000-4,000 locations needing checks will be resolved.
23
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Department recognised that the split of responsibilities between its ESN suppliers is suboptimal.76 The Independent Assurance Panel told us that the complexity had been increased in 2015, when amended contracts had made the Home Office responsible for systems integration, a task it did not have the skills to do.77 …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations regarding the suboptimal split of responsibilities, stating it has focused on addressing integration complexity. It will commission the IAP to monitor integration plans for the User Services contract and is strengthening its Programme Management team with specialist recruitment and external technical expertise.
24
Conclusion
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 …
25
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Police were concerned that ESN may not prove any cheaper than commercial alternatives.83 We asked about operational benefits from access to data. The Department acknowledged that it no longer expected ESN to provide any productivity benefits.84 Police explained that almost all forces use mobile data via commercial tablets, laptops and …
Government Response Summary
The government's response, which is identical to a response for another recommendation, does not address the committee's specific observations regarding concerns about ESN's cost, lack of productivity benefits, or the risk of emergency services not adopting it due to existing commercial alternatives.
26
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Despite these concerns, all three emergency services did still see a continuing case for ESN. For example, the fire service said that there could be benefits from being able to share drone footage of incidents by ESN providing a common platform for such services. It noted that several reports into …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the need for clear responsibilities and plans for operating ESN when live, detailing that current contracts define the service model, the User Services supplier will act as Service Integrator, and a new billing model is developed. However, the response does not specifically address the committee's concern about the programme no longer expecting to provide apps beyond push-to-talk, which limits potential innovations and benefits.
28
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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 programme completion, enabling future commercial competition.
29
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.
30
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.