On 8 July 2025, the Government (HMG) published a new Resilience Action Plan (RAP), reflecting the conclusions of HMG’s review of resilience made in response to COVID-19 Inquiry Module 1 and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. It explicitly aligns with the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and National Security Strategy (NSS) in its ambition to make the UK more resilient and more secure through a whole of society approach.
HMG also provided an update on the implementation of the 2023 Biological Security Strategy, confirming investment annoucements to strengthen biosecurity capability and unveiling preparations for a Tier 1 national pandemic exercise later this year. Alongside this, for the first time the Government publsihed its Chronic Risks Analysis, which is the UK’s risk assessment for medium to long term risks, sitting alongside the National Risk Register (NRR), which covers acute risks.
Commenting on the Resilience Action Plan, ADS Security and Resilience Director, Jon Gray, said:
“There is an increasing awareness of the vital importance of national resilience to our way of life and prosperity, both within the UK and at a NATO level. The publication of this Resilience Action Plan and its recognition that resilience is a shared responsibility, including with businesses, is therefore a timely contribution to this agenda.
ADS is proud to represent a wide range of companies that provide sophisticated defensive capabilities, for example radiological detection at the border, cyber security solutions for the energy grid, and advanced personal protective equipment. Our sectors also demonstrated their crucial contribution to national resilience at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic through the rapid production of ventilators and other life-saving equipment.
ADS and our members stand ready to work in partnership with government, communities, and public services to keep the UK safe in the face of future challenges, through delivering this Action Plan.”
The ADS Policy team has produced a briefing on the Plan, and members can log in to read the briefing here. Not got an account? Click register in the top right hand corner to get set up.
