Public Emergency Information Portal

No formal response published by this government.

No formal response published by this government.

No formal response published by this government.

The government agrees with the Inquiry that it is important that there is a resource, or set of resources, that allows the public to easily access information on legal restrictions and associated guidance that applies in their area during a civil emergency. However, such a tool must account for the complex set of ownerships and responsibilities that apply to various sources of data and communication tools within the UK government and devolved governments, which places constraints on the form that this resource could take.

The government recognises that clarity and accessibility of information are crucial pillars of a crisis communications response, and have a significant impact on compliance with necessary restrictions.

There are already a number of existing tools and capabilities that have been developed to allow the government to quickly and effectively communicate guidance and advice to the public during a civil emergency. The GOV.UK website is a trusted and accessible source for all UK government information that is available for the public, including any guidance that has been published during an emergency, and any legal restrictions that may apply in local areas. There is also more specific information on simple and effective steps that the public can take to improve their preparedness for emergencies on the GOV.UK/Prepare website.

We are also working closely with devolved governments to improve coordination at every stage of the crisis response. In 2026, we will work with partners across the four nations to improve our crisis communications coordination, including by co-producing shared principles for aligning communications during emergencies.

While the government agrees with the aim behind this recommendation, the proposed approach of developing a single online portal may not be the best approach in every emergency. One significant constraint is information ownership, as different communication channels and sources of information will be owned by different bodies. The devolved governments have specific responsibilities, so it would not be appropriate for the UK government to have ownership of crisis communications. Furthermore, there is also evidence that different groups of people trust different sets of resources. A broader set of resources with well-managed content is therefore likely to be a more appropriate way to signpost restrictions and advice during emergencies than a single, individually-owned portal.

The government agrees with the Inquiry that it is important that there is a resource, or set of resources, that allows the public to easily access information on legal restrictions and associated guidance that applies in their area during a civil emergency. However, such a tool must account for the complex set of ownerships and responsibilities that apply to various sources of data and communication tools within the UK government and devolved governments, which places constraints on the form that this resource could take.

The government recognises that clarity and accessibility of information are crucial pillars of a crisis communications response, and have a significant impact on compliance with necessary restrictions.

There are already a number of existing tools and capabilities that have been developed to allow the government to quickly and effectively communicate guidance and advice to the public during a civil emergency. The GOV.UK website is a trusted and accessible source for all UK government information that is available for the public, including any guidance that has been published during an emergency, and any legal restrictions that may apply in local areas. There is also more specific information on simple and effective steps that the public can take to improve their preparedness for emergencies on the GOV.UK/Prepare website.

We are also working closely with devolved governments to improve coordination at every stage of the crisis response. In 2026, we will work with partners across the four nations to improve our crisis communications coordination, including by co-producing shared principles for aligning communications during emergencies.

While the government agrees with the aim behind this recommendation, the proposed approach of developing a single online portal may not be the best approach in every emergency. One significant constraint is information ownership, as different communication channels and sources of information will be owned by different bodies. The devolved governments have specific responsibilities, so it would not be appropriate for the UK government to have ownership of crisis communications. Furthermore, there is also evidence that different groups of people trust different sets of resources. A broader set of resources with well-managed content is therefore likely to be a more appropriate way to signpost restrictions and advice during emergencies than a single, individually-owned portal.