Catalogue description Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Government Decontamination and Recovery Service (GDRS Prefix Series)

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Details of MAF 762
Reference: MAF 762
Title: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Government Decontamination and Recovery Service (GDRS Prefix Series)
Description:

This series contains policy and administrative records relating to the formation and operations of the Government Decontamination Service.

Date: 2003-2005
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department: GDRS
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2001-

Physical description: 2 file(s)
Access conditions: Open unless otherwise stated
Immediate source of acquisition:

From 2021 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Accruals: Series is accruing
Administrative / biographical background:

The Government Decontamination Service (GDS) is an organisation within the UK Government which provides advice and guidance to help the UK resist and recover from any deliberate or accidental release of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials (CBRN) or from major accidental releases of hazardous materials (HAZMAT).

The Cabinet Office Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) allocated Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs lead government responsibilities for managing the consequences of a CBRN incident arising from terrorist and some non-terrorism causes. Home Office has lead responsibility for a CBRN terrorism during the counter terrorism phase. Responsibility for dealing with an immediate emergency rests with local Police and Emergency Services.

GDS was established as an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and since 1 April 2009 it was a constituent part of the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA). However, GDS responsibilities were absorbed back into Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 August 2014.

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