Background

The Civil Contingencies Policy Branch has a long history in the Northern Ireland Civil Service, having evolved from a World War II civil defence function of the then Ministry of Public Security. After the War, the Home Defence Branch of the Ministry of Home Affairs was created and in 1972 this became the Home Defence / Elections Branch of the Northern Ireland Office. In the early seventies, civil contingency planning did not exist, and most of the Branch’s work was devoted to civil defence planning, together with elections.

During the late 70s and early 80s, however, there occurred a number of natural, industrial and transport disasters in Great Britain . The work of what had become Emergency Planning Branch (with the transfer of responsibilities for elections) broadened in response. In addition, in the 90s, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the break-up of the Warsaw Pact, the planning assumptions for Civil Defence were completely revised, and Civil Defence Planning was put on a “care and maintenance” basis. During this time of change in Civil Defence, civil contingencies planning continued to expand; it now forms the bulk of the work of the Branch.

The Branch is currently part of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister under the direction of the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service and OFMDFM Ministers.