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

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.