Question
I commend my right hon. Friend and the Government for starting this national conversation. Given the extreme heat during the summer, the storms that have ravaged our communities in recent days and the issues involving rogue states attacking our infrastructure, there was clearly a real need for that conversation to start. As my right hon. Friend will know, my Committee’s inquiry on societal resilience is under way. Along with, I am sure, all other Members, I welcomed what my right hon. Friend said about the three-year programme, but will he commit to giving the House regular updates on the roles of local resilience forums, individuals and businesses in ensuring wider societal resilience?
Answer
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the important work that he does in chairing his Committee. The piece of work that he mentioned is significant, and we look forward keenly to his Committee’s findings. He rightly mentioned the three-year commitment that we have made. I think that is the right duration to aim for initially, but as I said, we now live in a world in which I expect we will need to have constant conversations of this nature with communities throughout the country, in line with our European partners, and with our allies around the world—and yes, I can absolutely give him the commitment that he seeks that we will update his Committee and the House.
Verdict: AMBER (66/100)
The reply gives a clear 'yes' to the core request: the Government will commit to updating the Committee and the House. However, it does not say how often these updates will happen, and it does not specifically tie them to local resilience forums, individuals or businesses. The asker has a firm commitment to build on but would likely need to ask for the timing and scope.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government commit to giving the House regular updates on the roles of local resilience forums, individuals and businesses in ensuring wider societal resilience? | Addressed | Direct | Statement 8 gives an explicit, unambiguous 'yes' to the commitment sought, that the Government will update the Committee and the House, which answers the 'will you commit' core of the item. It does not specifically tie those updates to LRFs, individuals and businesses or confirm 'regular' cadence, so the scope is only loosely matched. |