Public safety in UK densely populated cities will remain at increased risk of chemical attacks until the UK National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC) is returned to public ownership, according to Peter Doyle, managing director of the strategic environmental consultancy, ecobody limited and a former NCEC Duty Officer. Similar views were expressed on 1st October about US Preparedness by Congressman Christopher Shays who is a member of the US National Security Committee speaking to CNN.

The litttle publicised National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC), is Mr Doyle says, the primary centre of scientific and safety advice to public emergency services (police, fire) and the MOD (including bomb disposal) together with road, air, ship and rail transport operators for advice in the event of chemical emergencies. The Centre is operated under the private ownership of AEA Technology since privatisation of the UK Atomic Energy Authority in 1996 and of which it was formerly a part. Duty Officers deal, as might be expected, with the full range of chemical incidents - from those that occur on oil rigs and ships, to industrial fires and road and rail transport accidents.

The operational management of the UK National Chemical Emergency Centre under private ownership, will eventually, according to Mr Doyle, prove inadequate if the UK were to experience an increased or sustained terrorist threat involving chemicals. Mr Doyle considers it essential, given the increased threat, that government should return management of the NCEC to public ownership and operation.

Unlike similar centres in other countries, the UK National Chemical Emergency Centre is not manned 24 hours a day but relies on a small number of Duty Officers providing cover during `silent' hours. For much of a 24 hour period, therefore, and particularly at those times when a terrorist threat might be most expected, every UK police and fire service is reliant on a single Duty Officer for scientific advice relating to chemical emergencies. It is not uncommon for him or her to have to deal with several incidents at the same time.

Reducing Home Office funding has, over the years, made the NCEC more reliant on providing commercial services to the chemical industry under its Responsible Care initiative but privatisation has resulted in increased pressure on the small number of NCEC Duty Officers.