Writing a list for Liz

PANEL

The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP was appointed Prime Minister on 6 September 2022. She was previously Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs from 15 September 2021. She was appointed Minister for Women and Equalities on 10 September 2019. She was elected as the Conservative MP for south west Norfolk in 2010.

Notwithstanding the unfortunate death of the long-reigning monarch and all that involved The PM takes up the position at a time when there are concerns about the cost of iiving with a particular focus on fuel and food prices.

When times are hard new security installations could be viewed as a luxury and, as we saw during the lockdown/pandemic if belts are tightened there could be a slowing of fresh contracts for the trade. Plus of course there is still the fallout from Brexit to consider and how this will affect manufacturers, distributors, importers, exporters and product supply.

Given all of this what does the Prime Minister need to do to help the security industry? We asked the PSI Panel for their thoughts on advice they would offer the PM:

Jamie Barnfield –IDIS Europe

A very positive reform that I would like to see from the new Liz Truss government would be the introduction of a compulsory installation standard for CCTV. After all, we already have regulations covering other forms of electronic security, which reflect the fact that these are vital solutions.

Yes, we have installation benchmarks such as the NSI Gold Standard but these do not deter the ‘bang-it and hang-it’ type installers, or the inexperienced satellite dish engineers straight out of college who think they can deliver a CCTV system because they have a tool bag and some Cat 6 cable.

When systems aren’t installed properly, the failure impacts user confidence and undermines the security and safety benefits that CCTV should deliver.

I have seen some absolutely atrocious CCTV installations, botched systems in both domestic and commercial settings. We were recently called to a site where the installation was a definite case of “fit and forget”, with all the essential configuration and commissioning steps totally forgotten. As manufacturers we step in to help rectify these issues, and we have to explain to the customer what went wrong: that the technology was not at fault, it was the satellite dish man who didn’t know what he was doing.

Early September saw the appointment of a new leader of the Conservative party and therefore, a new Prime Minister. There are a number of items on Liz Truss’s agenda that need dealing with, but what issues would the security industry like to see addressed?

PANEL

Compulsory CCTV installation standards would protect customers and bona fide businesses, and prevent the inefficiency of rectifying botched work.

I also think it’s time to see NDAAcompliance requirements introduced in the UK, with a standards committee to oversee the authenticity of manufacturers’ NDAA claims.

This would give the NDAA customers confidence that the products they are installing are truly NDAA-compliant and not just a box with an NDAA sticker on it.

And measures like this need teeth. There should be penalties for any manufacturers found to be exploiting customers by making false NDAA claims.

Nick Whiting – BT Redcare

Without a doubt, fire and security installers and the industry will be impacted by the increase in fuel and energy costs, and skyrocketing inflation which will need to be addressed. However, the crucial role the industry plays in protecting the nation means swift action must be taken by the new leader and her Cabinet, to protect the security and safety of the country.

The new Prime Minister will need to ensure that there is sufficient education around the ongoingnationwide PSTN closure by 2025. Although seemingly a few years away, many phonelines are already being switched to the new digital service, meaning fire and security solutions that rely on older analogue technology will no longer operate as they should. Awareness among installers and especially customers is not at the level it needs to be –meaning some premises will go unprotected. What's needed is a national awareness campaign to make sure this is communicated quickly and effectively.

Another similar ongoing conversation that new leadership should closely monitor is the upcoming decommissioning of 2G and 3G networks on which many alarm signalling solutions rely. Operators are quickly redeploying network equipment for 4G and 5G as the older networks can no longer support today’s data capacity requirements. These two transitions together present a significant opportunity for installers to bring in solutions connected via both 4G and IP and provide a kind of ‘double future-proofing’ against these two big shifts, and it’s vital that the new leadership does all it can to enable this.

Ultimately, installers hold the key to the nation’s safety and security, but this doesn’t mean they can do it all alone. More awareness and collaboration are needed in the industry to make the next few years a success for all parties involved, and it’s so often impetus from the very top which can kickstart that process.

Paul Tilbury –Dynamic CCTV

The Prime Minister needs to get cost of living and fuel costs under control. If consumers stop spending it impacts the smaller installer, with a retail and hospitality downturn affecting national installers. Fuel costs impact all levels of the supply chain increasing costs that just can’t be absorbed.

Pip Courcoux – Abloy UK

A topic I would like to discuss with our new PM is the introduction of the UKCA safety standards, which come into effect at the start of 2023.

Essentially every product sold in Europe is currently subject to CE marking, in 2023 this is replaced by UKCA. Many security products also

fall under the CPR (Construction Products Regulation) for emergency escape and fire safety. The Grenfell catastrophe further highlighted the importance of safety standards within the construction industry.

The introduction of these new UKCA standards is a major concern for the manufacturers who have always imported their products with the acceptable EU standards. They will now no longer conform, and a thirdparty declaration of performance certificate will be required, at an additional cost for the manufacturer.

There are rumours that some suppliers are considering creating a new SKU for products eligible to be sold in the UK. This will help ensure the correct products for the UK are received, but it have a knock on effect to manufacturing times and costs.

Although the UK Government have already extended the deadline due to the pandemic, the industry is still suffering the effects of the component crisis. The task involved in third party accreditors being ready for the change should be recognised as there is often large documents to translate, read and understand. There is a real fear that some unscrupulous suppliers/manufacturers could bypass the correct accreditation channels and nonconforming products flood the market.

The knock-on effect of this is that the UKCA mark will be devalued almost immediately, and cheaper products will flood the market to help plug the component shortage gap within the construction industry.

Steve Proctor – Ajax Systems

Obviously I would mention the fuel energy costs that affect all business large and small. Business will have to adapt very quickly or perish. Also, great acceleration on reviewing Chinese security products that continues to flood into the UK despite the ongoing possible security concerns.

Lastly, it would be a huge benefit to all if the whole security and fire compliance and accreditation agency’s, including standards, be reviewed and modernised for allowance of technology advancements and end-user experience values. “If consumers stop spending it impacts the smaller installer, with a retail and hospitality downturn affecting national installers”