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National Security

Asked by Gordon McKeeLabourCabinet OfficeTabled Answered 4 September 2026UIN 19636

The question

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many exercises testing national resilience arrangements have been conducted in each of the last five years.

Answered by Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office encourages all departments to conduct or participate in exercises on cross-cutting risks in line with the National Security Risk Assessment, via the National Exercising Programme. The Cabinet Office is not responsible for exercising across the entire system but offers support and guidance.

The Cabinet Office oversaw three cross-system exercises within this period. Exercise MIGHTY OAK on preparedness for a national power outrage ran in March 2023. Exercise PEGASUS on pandemic preparedness was conducted in three primary phases in September and October 2025. A classified cross-system cyber resilience exercise was also conducted in 2026.



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