The draft Bill is issued with a free consultation document summarising proposals for modernisation of Britain's civil protection laws to strengthen the powers available to government to deal with serious emergencies. This is part of the Government's wider package of measures to improve the country's resilience to 'disruptive challenge' which is defined as an emergency presenting a serious threat to human welfare; the environment; political, administrative or economic stability; or UK security, such as war, armed conflict and terrorism. The draft Bill, together with non-statutory measures contained in the accompanying consultation document, seek to create a single framework for civil protection planning including: i) new statutory duties at the local level to ensure consistency of activity and clarify roles and responsibilities in order to codify existing best practice. Local responders will deliver civil protection based on key themes of risk management, emergency planning, business continuity and public information; ii) a new regional tier of civil emergency management to clarify responsibilities of key players and to provide a strong bridge between local areas and central government. The draft Bill provides for the role of regional nominated co-ordinators and allows for special emergency legislation at the regional level; and iii) stronger central structures and targeted powers, including the use of emergency legislation without parliamentary approval, providing that it is put to a retroactive parliamentary vote within days, and improved departmental and cross-departmental contingency planning. The consultation period will run for 12 weeks and comments must be received by 11 September 2003.