Ministers from across government have met this week to drive
forward preparatory work for tackling pressures this winter.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has led a meeting of ministers and officials from
across government to drive forward preparatory work for tackling
pressures this winter.
The meeting follows work over recent weeks to identify key
pressure points that will affect the public, including the global
rise in energy prices, the cost of living and pressures on the
NHS.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has been chairing these
meetings throughout the summer to discuss the key operational
decisions that can be made to reduce these risks once a new
administration is in place.
Ministers and officials have discussed priority areas, such as
health, energy, cost of living, supply chain disruption, labour
market shortages, and industrial action, that have the potential
to compound together over the coming 18 months.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said:
My chief priority has been to make sure that we are prepared for
the significant challenges we expect to face this autumn and
winter, and I have held regular meetings to make sure departments
maintain pace and grip on this essential work now, and in the
coming months, as this will be a marathon not a sprint.
The cost of living, driven in part by higher energy prices, is
biting for individuals, families and businesses, and the NHS is
already under pressure - and that’s ahead of the flu season.
These risks have potentially severe impacts, stacking up on the
most vulnerable people in society, and it is vital that we
develop robust plans urgently to mitigate their impact and come
up with solutions.
I’ve tasked departments with identifying the key operational
decisions that should be taken without delay across priority
risks such as health, energy, cost of living, supply chain
disruption, labour market shortages, and industrial action, that
have the potential to compound together. They will also map
out the key moments over the next 18 months where specific groups
of society may be significantly impacted, including the
clinically vulnerable, socially and economically deprived, the
elderly, the young, and the disabled, and produce further options
so that decisions can be made quickly once a new administration
is in place.
Over the coming weeks, the Cabinet Office will work with the
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to
continue ensuring that gas and electricity system operators have
the right tools to respond to fluctuations in supply and demand.
Work is also underway with key international partners to monitor
and share information on energy supply and demand.
The Treasury and BEIS will also prepare options for the new
administration on possible energy market interventions to lower
prices, bringing down bills and helping manage overall supply.
Today’s meeting included ministers and officials from HM
Treasury, the Department of Health and Social Care, the
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the
Department for Transport, the Department for Work and Pensions,
and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The meeting also builds upon the work already in train ahead of
the new administration next week, and the increase of the energy
price cap. This work includes:
- Allocating £37 billion of help for households, including the
£400 discount on energy bills this winter, and £1,200 of direct
support to help with the cost of living
- The Department of Health and Social Care and the UK Health
Security Agency are further developing their plans for health
resilience, including to boost the NHS and Adult Social Care
workforce, including a new taskforce for international
recruitment
- The Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
is continuing to strengthen its contingency plans for winter
energy security - Equinor and Centrica recently signed a major
agreement to shore up Britain’s gas supply over the next three
winters, adding around one billion cubic metres of gas per year
to our supply
The meeting also follows the recent announcement by reforming emergency planning and response in the
Cabinet Office. A National Resilience Framework Team in the
Planning and Analysis Secretariat will take a deeper look at the
government’s approach to risk and how it is mitigated, as well as
collecting and analysing live data to improve future responses to
emergencies. While the Cabinet Office’s COBR Unit will continue
to oversee preparedness and response to emergencies and other
moments of acute pressure which might arise this winter.
