Sufficient resources for operational planning
Manchester Arena Inquiry · Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response · Issued 3 November 2022 · Addressed to: College of Policing, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, Home Office, Police Services
Government responseUK Government: Accepted (Nov 2025)
DeliveryCabinet Office says in progress (Feb 2026)
Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, the College of Policing and the Home Office should work together to put in place robust systems, policies and guidance to ensure that all police services have sufficient resources dedicated to the development of operational and contingency plans, particularly for responding to Major Incidents, including terrorist attacks.
Manchester Arena Inquiry, Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response · 3 Nov 2022 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
AI-generated evidence summary
The Inquiry recommended ensuring police services dedicate sufficient resources to operational planning. In February 2026, the Cabinet Office reported that while each police service is operationally responsible for resourcing, new approved professional practice (APP) guidance was being developed to support forces (Cabinet Office, Feb 2026). It stated that the guidance was in the latter stages of development to align with civil contingencies standards and underpin training, aiming for consultation in spring and a launch in summer 2025, though systems and policies were not mentioned (Cabinet Office, Feb 2026). Earlier, in November 2025, the UK Government accepted the recommendation in full (Cabinet Office response, Nov 2025).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026.
About this summary
Government response
●UK Government · Accepted · 14 Nov 2025
Accepted in full
Response document: Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations (GOV.UK page linking to the Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard)
Delivery
●Cabinet Office says in progress · 27 Feb 2026
Whilst each individual police service is operationally responsible for ensuring they have sufficient resource to deliver against this recommendation, this new approved professional practice (APP) is aimed at providing further support to police services. This guidance is now in the latter stages of development, with the ambition to publish for public consultation in Spring and launch to forces Summer 2025. The ambition is that this guidance will align to updated Civil Contingencies approved professional practice (APP) (recommendation 72) and underpin the new Force Incident Manager and Operational and Tactical Commander training alongside Controller and NILO.
Earlier statements on delivery (0)
●Cabinet Office · 14 Nov 2025
Whilst each individual police service is operationally responsible for ensuring they have sufficient resource to deliver against this recommendation, this new approved professional practice (APP) is aimed at providing further support to police services. This guidance is now in the latter stages of development, with the ambition to publish for public consultation in Spring and launch to forces Summer 2025. The ambition is that this guidance will align to updated Civil Contingencies approved professional practice (APP) (recommendation 72) and underpin the new Force Incident Manager and Operational and Tactical Commander training alongside Controller and NILO.
From: Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, original version (data file)
Published evidence
●JESIP · 1 Apr 2024
JESIP Joint Doctrine updated to v3.1 (April 2024) following inquiry findings on interoperability failures. Operation Plato reformed to cover all terrorist attack types, not just firearms. Emphasis extended beyond command-level to frontline responders.
JESIP Joint Doctrine Version 3.1, April 2024View source →
How this page is built
The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.