Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, a, bullet point 1
The government is updating its severe space weather preparedness strategy. To invest efficiently and effectively in long-term resilience, it must define what outcomes it is seeking and the work required, and make informed decisions about prioritisation. It must also test plans against a range of plausible scenarios and embed knowledge from its past exercises and responses to space weather. In designing its new strategy, DSIT should consider and define:
? roles and responsibilities for severe space weather resilience across the public sector;
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, a, bullet point 2
In designing its new strategy, DSIT should consider and define what level of resilience to severe space weather?s impacts the government is seeking for the UK to achieve, including agreeing expectations for different sectors.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, a, bullet point 3
In designing its new strategy, DSIT should consider and define what public investment will be required to deliver its objectives.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, a, bullet point 4
In designing its new strategy, DSIT should consider and define which knowledge gaps on severe space weather?s impact the government will prioritise and fill.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, b
Cross-government initiatives can often be more difficult to implement due to the large number of bodies involved in delivery and their existing individual governance and accountability structures. By the end of 2026, DSIT should review governance arrangements for overseeing the risk of severe space weather to strengthen leadership, accountability and assurance arrangements as required. This should include consulting with the Cabinet Office for guidance on governance arrangements for managing this cross-cutting risk.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, c
DSIT should, with the Met Office, decide what long-term forecasting capability, and at what level of resilience, the UK requires. Ahead of the next spending review, it should develop a delivery plan to secure the required capability.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 05/2029
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, d, bullet point 1
To strengthen response plans, DSIT should develop a continuous plan of
learning and exercising by September 2026. This should include collating, disseminating and applying lessons from past exercises, including those relevant to but not specifically on severe space weather.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, d, bullet point 2
To strengthen response plans, DSIT should develop a continuous plan of learning and exercising by September 2026. This should include considering and testing multiple scenarios in addition to the reasonable worst-case scenario, and consider the compounding and cascading impacts and identify points of failure.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 11, d, bullet point 3
To strengthen response plans, DSIT should develop a continuous plan of learning and exercising by September 2026. This should include carrying out a command-post exercise on severe space weather, involving sectors and local responders, in the next three years.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 12, e, bullet point 1
DSIT should add detail and precision to its plans to encompass a whole-of-society approach by March 2027. This should include concluding its work developing a severe space weather communications plan for UK businesses and citizens in the event of an emergency.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 12, e, bullet point 2
DSIT should add detail and precision to its plans to encompass a whole-of-society approach by March 2027. This should include considering how it can best support local responders and civil society to participate in planning.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 12, e, bullet point 3
DSIT should add detail and precision to its plans to encompass a whole-of-society approach by March 2027. This should include identifying what specific preparedness work it needs the government to undertake as a result of its strategic analysis, and what risk-generic work it should rely on.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 12/2026
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 12, e, bullet point 4
DSIT should add detail and precision to its plans to encompass a whole-of-society approach by March 2027. This should include working with other departments to ensure that all sectors understand how to interpret and use Met Office?s notifications, and that the Met Office understands the information needs of those sectors.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2028
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Source location: Page 12, e, bullet point 5
DSIT should add detail and precision to its plans to encompass a whole-of-society approach by March 2027. This should include working with other departments to map what actions sectors could take to prevent or reduce impacts prior to an event?s arrival; this should include defining which actions would require direction from the government.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 03/2027
· Confirmed by NAO