A five-page document spelling out the governments planning assumptions under Operation Yellowhammer the governments no-deal plan was disclosed in response to a humble address motion. The content of the document was strikingly similar to the plan leaked to the Sunday Times in August, which the government dismissed at the time as out of date. That document was described as a base case; but the new document claims to be a worst-case scenario...
... The lack of trader readiness combined with limited space in French ports to hold unready HGVs could reduce the flow rate to 40%-60% of current levels within one day as unready HGVs will fill the ports and block flow, it warns. This situation could last for up to three months, and disruption might last significantly longer, it adds, with lorries facing waits of between 1.5 days and 2.5 days to cross the border. The reliance of medical supplies on cross-Channel routes make them particularly vulnerable to severe extended delays, the report says, with some medicines having such short shelf lives they cannot be stockpiled. A lack of veterinary medicines could increase the risk of disease outbreaks, it adds.
On food supplies, supplies of certain types of fresh food would be reduced, the document warns, as well as other items such as packaging. It says: In combination, these two factors will not cause an overall shortage of food in the UK but will reduce availability and choice of products and will increase price, which could impact vulnerable groups. Later, it adds: Low income groups will be disproportionately affected by any price rises in food and fuel.
On law and order it warns: Protests and counter-protests will take place across the UK and may absorb significant amounts of police resource. There may also be a rise in public disorder and community tensions. ...
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/11/operation-yellowhammer-fears-no-deal-brexit-chaos-forced-to-publish-secret-papers