Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Civilian agencies will inevitably require assistance in a crisis of this scale and there should...
Recommendation
Civilian agencies will inevitably require assistance in a crisis of this scale and there should be no stigma in seeking help from the Armed Forces. However, it is clear that preparations for a non-man-made threat such as an infectious disease pandemic were afforded less priority than issues such as terrorism, despite being assessed as having both high likelihood and high impact in the National Risk Register. The Government must take steps to ensure that the civilian agencies which have statutory responsibilities prepare properly, and that Defence does not become the default ‘first responder’ to make good deficiencies exposed by a developing crisis. (Paragraph 22) 31 Manpower or Mindset: Defence’s Contribution to the UK’s Pandemic Response The Ministry of Defence’s role in the pandemic response
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Defence support to other Government departments is channelled through the well- defined Military Aid to Civil Authorities (MACA) process, which allows the most effective solution for the requesting department to be established. Where there are viable non- Defence solutions to a request this will be identified during this process. Defence continues to utilise its network of liaison officers within other Government departments who enable increased cross-Government communication and allows early input into defining and developing potential requests for assistance.