Ministers and representatives from all branches of government met under the direction of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Kit Malthouse, to advance planning for dealing with difficulties this winter.
The discussion comes after work to identify major public pressure points, such as the worldwide increase in energy costs, the cost of living, and demands on the NHS, was done in recent weeks.
These discussions on the crucial operational choices that may be taken to lower these risks once a new government is in place have been led by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster throughout the summer.
Ministers and officials have discussed priority issues that could compound over the next 18 months, such as health, energy, cost of living, supply chain disruptions, labour shortages, and industrial action.
Kit Malthouse, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, stated:
As this will be a marathon, not a sprint, I have made it my top priority to ensure that we are ready for the significant challenges we anticipate encountering this autumn and winter.
I have held regular meetings to ensure that departments maintain pace and grip on this crucial work now and in the coming months.
The cost of living is hurting for people, families, and companies, and the NHS is already under strain – and that’s before flu season.
This is partly due to increasing energy costs. We must immediately create strong plans to reduce these risks’ effects and find solutions because they have the potential to have serious effects on society’s most vulnerable members.
I’ve given departments the duty of determining the crucial operational choices that need to be made right now in relation to priority risks that have the potential to compound together, such as health, energy, cost of living, supply chain disruptions, labour shortages, and industrial action.
The clinically vulnerable, the poor in both social and economic terms, the elderly, the young, and the disabled will all be included in their map of key moments over the next 18 months where specific groups of society may be significantly impacted.
They will also produce additional options so that decisions can be made quickly once a new administration is in place.
The Cabinet Office will continue to work with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy to make sure that gas and electricity system operators have the tools they need to react to changes in supply and demand over the next weeks.
With significant international partners, work is also being done to monitor and exchange data on energy supply and demand.
Additionally, to help the new administration manage supply and bring down prices, the Treasury and BEIS will prepare options on potential energy market interventions.
In attendance at the meeting today were ministers and representatives from HM Treasury, the Departments of Health and Social Care, Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, Transport, Work and Pensions, and Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The conference also advances the tasks already underway in preparation for the start of the new government the following week and the raising of the energy price ceiling. This work contains:
Allocating £37 billion in assistance to families, including a £400 energy bill savings this winter and $1,200 in direct assistance to aid with living expenses
The Department of Health and Social Care and the UK Health Security Agency are still refining their plans for health resilience, including how to increase the workforce in the NHS and Adult Social Care, including the creation of a new taskforce for foreign recruiting.
The Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy recently inked a significant deal with Equinor and Centrica to enhance Britain’s gas supply over the next three winters, boosting our supply by almost one billion cubic metres of gas annually.
The gathering also comes in reaction to Kit Malthouse’s recent declaration that disaster preparedness and response inside the Cabinet Office would be reformed.
The Planning and Analysis Secretariat’s National Resilience Framework Team will investigate the government’s attitude to risk and how it is reduced in addition to gathering and analysing real-time data to enhance future emergency responses.
While the COBR Unit of the Cabinet Office will continue to manage emergency preparation and response as well as any times of extreme stress that may occur this winter.