Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

National Resilience

10 June 2026 · 1 other contributor

Opened by David Reed Con Exmouth and Ernecall

DefenceCommunity SecurityEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

David Reed raised concerns about national resilience in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The hon. Member David Reed raised concerns about improving national resilience to address interconnected threats such as natural disasters, pandemics, geopolitical shocks, and deliberate attacks.
  • Reed highlighted the challenge of engaging citizens on national resilience due to the fading memory of national insecurity.
  • The Minister Dan Jarvis acknowledged the importance of resilience and outlined measures including refreshed expectations for lead Departments and embedding leadership roles in crisis management doctrines.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

David Reed Con Exmouth and Ernecall

The hon. Member David Reed of Exmouth and Ernecall raised the issue of improving national resilience, citing the need for a comprehensive approach to address interconnected threats such as natural disasters, pandemics, geopolitical shocks, and deliberate attacks. He highlighted that living memory of national insecurity in the UK is fading, making it challenging to engage citizens on the importance of resilience. Reed emphasised the need for a structured conversation on defence and resilience, citing Denmark's dedicated ministry of resilience and preparedness as an effective model. He also called for a review into whether the current dispersal of responsibilities across Whitehall is fit for purpose.

Other contributors (1)
  • Tom Greatrex Lab Wansbeck

    The hon. Member Tom Greatrex from Wansbeck emphasised the need to consider climate change as an interconnected threat alongside others, stressing that it requires more attention and planning.

Government Response

Dan Jarvis

The Minister Dan Jarvis of Barnsley Central acknowledged the importance of resilience and praised the work done on national security and risk assessment. He outlined several measures taken by the Government, including a refreshed expectation set for lead Departments to clarify responsibilities, embedding leadership roles in central crisis management doctrines, and strengthening governance on risk planning. The Cabinet Office’s role was highlighted as crucial for cross-cutting impacts of crises such as power outages or severe weather events. Jarvis also mentioned the importance of local resilience forums and an international community approach to learning and sharing best practices. He committed to publishing a detailed update next month on progress made towards resilience commitments, addressing concerns raised by Reed.

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