COBRA Committee

The COBRA Committee is the United Kingdom's emergency response team for national crises. It is an acronym for "Cabinet Office Briefing Room A."
Its membership includes:
the head of MI5,
the police, and
the civil contigencies secretariat, as well as other senior ministers.

COBRA was responsible for managing the response to the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege. They were responsible for modifying the flight path of planes into Heathrow to provide background noise.
COBRA has also responded to the alleged terrorist plot uncovered on August 10, 2006, foot and mouth scare and the fuel crisis 2000.
The Prime Minister can convene the COBRA Committee at his/her discretion.

Last meeting to date
The Last meeting of cobra was called on August the 3rd 2007 due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease at a Surrey farm.