Editing Civil Contingencies Secretariat (section)

==Remit and reporting==

In 2002 [[David Blunkett]], then [[Home Secretary]], stated, in a written reply to a [[parliamentary question]]: {{quote|text=The remit of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat is to make the United Kingdom more effective in planning for, dealing with, and learning lessons from emergencies and disasters.|author=David Blunkett|source={{sfn|Hansard 2002}}}}

He went on to state:
{{quote|text=The Secretariat services the Civil Contingencies Committee, which I chair and in addition as part of the Cabinet Office reports to my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister (Mr. Blair) through the Cabinet Secretary (Sir Richard Wilson).|author=David Blunkett|source={{sfn|Hansard 2002}}}}

The [[Civil Contingencies Committee]], often informally referred to as [[Cabinet Office Briefing Room|COBR]] from the name of the room used, is a forum for ministers and senior officials to discuss and manage serious (level 2) and catastrophic (level 3) emergencies.{{sfn|BBC News 2006}}{{sfn|UK Parliament 2011}}

In 2010, the secretariat launched an emergency communications service based on the [[Skynet (satellite)|Skynet]] military communication satellite system, called High Integrity Telecommunications System, for use by [[UK police]] and other emergency services, primarily at Strategic Command Centres and at major events and emergencies. It replaced the earlier [[Emergency Communications Network (UK)|Emergency Communications Network]].<ref name=hits-201009>{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61209/hits_informationpack_v1.1_0.pdf |title=HITS Information Pack |website=Cabinet Office, Civil Contingencies Secretariat |date=September 2010 |access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref><ref name=hits-2011>{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61211/HITS_Brochure_Jan2011.pdf |title=High Integrity Telecommunications System |website=Cabinet Office |year=2011 |access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref>

[[Serco]] operates the [[Emergency Planning College]] in [[Easingwold]], North Yorkshire under contract to the secretariat.<ref name=epc-about>{{cite web |url=https://www.epcresilience.com/who-we-are |title=About the EPC |website=Emergency Planning College |access-date=2 February 2021}}</ref>