Cabinet Office Briefing Room A

The Cabinet Office website states COBR(A) is:

COBR(A) is a meeting of the Civil Contingencies Committee, which takes place within the Cabinet Office estate. COBR(A) stands for Cabinet Office Briefing Room (A).

The Committee deals with the UK's emergency response in a national crisis.

It is a meeting of cross–government departments responsible for responding to an emergency.

Depending on the nature of the event different representatives will attend the meeting and advise on contingency arrangements.

In the past year COBR(A) has met to respond to various emergencies including Avian Flu, alleged terrorist plots and the poisoning of the Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.