A report on London’s terror preparedness has been published by Lord Toby Harris of Haringey. The new Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, asked for the review in his first weeks in office, after the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels. Lord Harris makes 127 recommendations for the Mayor, the Government and other agencies to consider, including:
The Metropolitan Police to further explore the use of temporary barriers to protect against a Nice-style lorry attack in London.
A London-wide pilot of a new public alert technology – so Londoners can be advised of a major terrorist attack with messages sent to mobile devices.
CCTV to be installed on all Underground and mainline trains and more easily accessible to emergency services in an emergency.
COBR protocol to be changed so that the Mayor always attends meetings that affect London – with greater clarity around the role of the Mayor in a major incident.
Consideration to be given to the introduction of a new MOPAC (Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime) adviser on counter-terrorism, and Mayoral Adviser for Resilience.
The Home Office to fully fund the National and International Capital Cities Grant (NICC), which costs the Metropolitan Police about £340m a year.
Security on the river Thames to be strengthened.
The police and security services should work with businesses, local authorities and others to provide better information on how to prevent a terrorist attack, and what to do if the worst happens.
The Department of Health should provide extra resources to the London Ambulance Service in recognition of the additional demands placed on them as the provider of services in the capital.
Lord Toby Harris said: “The quality and effectiveness of the work done by the intelligence services and the counter-terrorist police is amongst the best in the world, and if London were subject to a terrorist attack today, our emergency services response would be substantially faster than five years ago. Nevertheless, a serious terrorist attack remains highly possible and we cannot be complacent. London needs to become a city where security and resilience is designed in and is part of the city’s fabric, and where everyone who lives and works here sees security and resilience as their responsibility just as much as it is for the emergency services and civic authorities.”
Sadiq Khan said: “I am extremely grateful to Lord Toby Harris who has produced a significant, in-depth piece of work. His findings and events in the last week remind us what a fantastic job our police officers and emergency services do every day to keep us safe. But there is more that can be done by a wide range of organisations, and Lord Harris’s many recommendations deserve careful consideration and exploration over the coming months so we can take steps to ensure we are as prepared as possible.”
To read the 62-page report visit https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/londons_preparedness_to_respond_to_a_major_terrorist_incident_-_independent_review_oct_2016.pdf.
