Question
The Minister will know from our many conversations my concerns around the threats we face from foreign states and terrorism. He will also be aware that Bracknell Forest, which is 33% trees, is at particular risk of forest fires; many of my constituents are also seeing power cuts at the moment because of the storms. Will the Minister confirm to the House that the Government’s Be Ready campaign is about raising awareness, not alarm, of the full range of threats that we face to our community resilience, and empowering local people to have the tools at hand to address those concerns?
Answer
Absolutely. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his long-standing interest in these matters. He is right that this is about ensuring that the public are alert, but not alarmed, and that they are ready. That is the purpose of this campaign.
Verdict: GREEN (78/100)
The minister directly confirmed the premise of the question, saying the campaign aims to keep the public alert but not alarmed and ready to respond. The reply did not separately address the full range of threats or the practical tools the public would be given, so part of the question remains unaddressed. Overall, the core question was answered clearly, though the asker might want more detail on those specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Minister confirm that the Be Ready campaign is intended to raise awareness rather than alarm about the full range of threats to community resilience, and to empower local people with the tools to address them? | Addressed | Direct | The minister directly confirms the question's premise with 'Absolutely', then states that the campaign aims to keep the public 'alert, but not alarmed, and that they are ready', and that this 'is the purpose of this campaign'. The reply does not separately mention the 'full range of threats' or providing practical tools, but the core confirmation the item asks for is given. |