MD2002 Review of London's Preparedness to a Major Terrorist Incident

The Mayor has committed to undertake a London-wide strategic review to look at how the city is prepared to cope in light of terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels. It will:
• consider the working relationships and cooperation between all of the agencies involved
• consider the ability to cope with multiple simultaneous incidents
• highlight gaps between agencies, or shortages of expertise and resources, and
propose actions to address them.

The Review will consider the implications of multi-site attacks, including the implications of those occurring simultaneously in other parts of the country. The Review will consider the London Emergency Services Liaison Panel, the London Resilience Forum, the effectiveness of collaboration between the emergency services, the inter-operability of services (including radio communications), and the programme of joint planning and exercising.

Lord Harris’s experience makes him the most appropriate person to undertake this review, particularly given the urgency. His experience includes:
• Home Secretary’s Representative, Metropolitan Police Authority between 2004 - 2012
• Chair, Metropolitan Police Authority, between 2000 - 2004
• Chair, Association of London Government, between 1995 - 2000
• Member, Police Counter Terrorism Board, between 2007 - 2012
• Chair, Advisory Council City Security and Resilience Networks since 2010
• Leader, Haringey Council between 1987 - 1999

He has been a member of the following Parliamentary Committees:
• National Security Strategy (Joint Committee) May 2016 -
• National Security Strategy (Joint Committee) Dec 2010 - May 2014
• National Security Strategy (Joint Committee) Feb 2010 - May 2010

He has been a Life Peer since 1998 and was also Leader (Labour Group) in the London Assembly from 2000 - 2004.

The cost of this review is expected to be £15,000 (excluding VAT and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses).

The GLA is looking to commission the services of Lord Harris of Haringey to undertake the review, which is due to report in the summer. It will be phased, with advice being produced on the various elements possibly as follows:
• Phase One: Police (and in particular firearms) capability
• Phase Two: Capacity of the other emergency services
• Phase Three: Capacity of other agencies and sectors, collaboration arrangements, etc.

It is proposed that, given the urgency of this work in the context of terrorist events, this should be a direct appointment without competition as provided for in the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code.

Urgency:
The Review is expected to start in June 2016.

There is not expected to be any negative impact in terms of equality as part of this review; it will be mindful of all the requirements set out in the Equality Act 2010 and as a result will be of benefit to all Londoners.

4.1 Key risk

Should this decision not be approved, the Mayor would not receive assurance on London’s preparedness for a terrorist attack. The Mayor has stated that his key priority is the safety of Londoners. If this is not approved the Mayor will not be in a position to receive a report following the review by the end of the summer.

4.2 Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

To review the preparedness of London, in case of a terrorist attack, was a manifesto commitment. This cross-cutting review is comprehensive.

4.3 Impact assessments and consultations

The review will include wide-ranging consultation and will consider the capacity of:

o The Metropolitan Police Service (including its armed response capability)
o Other police services operating in London (including the British Transport Police, and the City of London Police) and what support might be available from elsewhere in the country
o The London Fire Brigade
o The London Ambulance Service
o Local Government in London
o Other agencies including Transport for London and the Port of London Authority
o Community organisations (such as British Red Cross, RNLI and the St John’s Ambulance) and faith groups

The budget allocated to this review is £15,000 (excluding VAT and reasonable expenses). It will be paid from the Corporate Management Team Budget.

6.1 Section 31(1) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 provides that the GLA shall not in the exercise of its general power incur expenditure in doing anything which may be done by Transport for London (TfL), the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA).

6.2 Section 31(6) provides, however, that the restriction in section 31(1) does not prevent the GLA incurring expenditure in co-operating with, facilitating or co-ordinating the activities of, among other bodies, TfL, MOPAC and LFEPA. If any of the work proposed overlaps with any functions of TfL, MOPAC or LFEPA, therefore, it is permitted to the extent that it constitutes co-operating with, facilitating or co-ordinating the activities of TfL, MOPAC or LFEPA.

6.3 Section 4 of the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code requires the GLA to call off the services required from an accessible framework or run a formal competition. However, the Mayor may approve an exemption from this requirement under section 5 of the Code upon certain specified grounds, one of which is urgency. Officers have indicated in section 1 of this report that this ground applies and, on this basis, the Mayor may approve the proposed exemption if he is satisfied with the content of this report.