Do the government expect fuel shortages?

[LauraKsWhiteCoat]

I'm a civil servant - we were told in the run up to 31st October that we should keep all council vehicles topped up at least 3/4 full of fuel, and that in the event of Brexit the council may have to reprioritise use of vehicles.

We were also told to be prepared to work from home for extended periods - no idea why!!!!

I haven't heard any suggestions of fuel shortages, so I'm wondering what the council know that we don't... ?

like you’re really a civil servant....

Bit late now we haven't left

No deal precautions presumably but they should have stood these down

like you’re really a civil servant....hmm

Why wouldn't I be?

Bit late now we haven't left

Yes - like I said in my OP, this warning was given in the run up to 31st October. So it was presumably part of no deal planning.

But I haven't heard any mention of a risk of fuel shortages in the event of no deal, so I wondered why the warning?

I would imagine that fuel shortages are a probability, at least on a short term basis.

Any delays in getting fuel into the country because of traffic buildup around the ports or customs taking longer will have a knock on effect. Add in some panic buying and bingo-no fuel. So it makes sense to take reasonable precautions and work from home if possible.

Ask your boss
its nowt to do with fuel
its all about additives
same as it was in march

Yes, work for civil service and we were told the same, food and fuel shortages following Brexit whether it be deal or not.

Yes, they did. It was all published in Yellowhammer.

So it's unsurprising that organisations are planning with that in mind. I'd be more worried about ones which didn't tbh - given how quickly everything fell apart during the tanker drivers' strike of 2000

Civil servants are not allowed to post there procedures on mumsnet it's in your contract you signed it did you read it?

Didn't realise they talked about fuel shortages in Yellowhammer, thank you. Makes sense really, if fuel tankers get delayed at the channel.

Chinny reckon

I remember the fuel blockades of Sep 2000 and the hassle that caused. Have been keeping my car topped up for that very reason.

I'm a civil servant - we were told in the run up to 31st October that we should keep all council vehicles topped up at least 3/4 full of fuel, and that in the event of Brexit the council may have to reprioritise use of vehicles.

Why would civil servants be responsible for keeping council vehicles topped up? Civil servants work in central government departments not local government. And as pp said, civil servants sign the Official Secrets Act.

It's all in the yellowhammer report.
Yes, severe fuel shortages especially in SE

It's all in the yellowhammer report.
Yes, severe fuel shortages especially in SE

Worst case scenario doesn't appear to mention "severe shortages";

"Regional traffic disruption caused by border delays could affect fuel distribution within the local area, particularly if traffic queues in Kent block the Dartford crossing, which would disrupt fuel supply in London and the South-East.Consumer behaviour could lead to local shortage in other parts of the country"

As far as I am aware fuel is imported via tankers or pipelines, not lorries coming in to Dover;
www.bp.com/en/global/bp-shipping/our-fleet/oil.html

Bloomberg Oct 2019:

"Oil industry trade groups and analysts were less concerned about disruption to fuel supplies."

“While pinch points have been identified, much of the fuel import infrastructure is dedicated and mitigation plans for the event of a ‘No-Deal’ Brexit have been made,” a U.K. Petroleum Industry Association spokesman said in a statement.“The lack of certainty of what day one looks like will mean the risk cannot be completely mitigated but as responsible operators, our members have been preparing for all eventualities to the best of their abilities.”

"Steve Sawyer, an analyst at consultant Facts Global Energy, also said he doubts that a no-deal Brexit would risk fuel supply."

“The only issue will be if extra checks and admin required slow up imports,” Sawyer said in response to emailed questions.“But then that’s what you have stocks for: to smooth out such disruptions until it all gets sorted out.”

Government's No-Deal Readiness Report pages 61/62:

•Supplies of crude oil, fuel, and important chemicals for refineries are expected to remain available through the UK’s diverse supply chains from Europe and the rest of the world.

Fuel is mainly imported through dedicated oil terminals away from the short straits, and most border and import processes will remain the same.

The Government has intensified preparations since 24 July 2019:
•The Government will continue to work closely with industry to ensure it develops appropriate plans for risks–for example, to safeguard the supply of reagents for refineries and fuel additives which come through ports.

•In the event that a risk to fuel supplies becomes material, the Government would:
○Activate the Downstream Oil Protocol, to strengthen coordination of industry contingency plans to improve the distribution of oil fuels.
○Make available to industry the Reserve Tanker Fleet of eighty vehicles to add capacity to the fuel distribution system.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/837632/No_deal_readiness_paper.PDF

Would a civil servant who worked for the Treasury in the 1970's have had to have signed the Official Secrets Act?

Quite possibly. Though the version then has been superseded by the 1989 version.

You don't need to have signed an actual bit of paper to be bound by it. Though of course getting someone to sign something (whether this or anything else) means they do pause to think about it, and cannot claim later that they were lacking reasonable information on it.

It refers more to respecting classified information, rather than not being able to talk about any aspect of ones work. So if you have been dealing with an unclassified set of documents, you'll be fine.

If Brexit prep was classified (prior to Yellowhammer) then no it should not have been spoken about beyond those actually working on it, and definitely not published worldwide (whether on MN or elsewhere)

"Would a civil servant who worked for the Treasury in the 1970's have had to have signed the Official Secrets Act?"
Yes. And anything subsequent to that.
I'm at pains of specific criminal sanction if I talk about what I learn in my job

Thanks, bellinisurge

There's a reason we didn't learn about Bletchley Park until relatively recently and it was difficult to get people who served there to talk about it.