DEMOS

Dr Paul Cornish, Head, International Security Programme, Chatham House

This is one of the most innovative analyses of the world's new security challenges that I have seen. By arguing for systems-based analysis of security challenges, a transparent national security apparatus, and a focus on public value, "National Security for the Twenty-First Century" proposes a radical departure from conventional national-security analysis and policy which is manifestly failing to provide the comprehensive human security that our societies and future generations need.

Thomas Homer-Dixon, George Ignatieff Chair of Peace and Conflict Studies at the Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at University College, University of Toronto. 

This is an important contribution to the current debate on national security. Readable, relevant and provocative the report makes sense of a complex area of policy and offers some valuable ideas for how the British Government should respond to the threats and hazards of the 21st century.

Sir David Omand, Visiting Professor, King’s College London and former Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, Cabinet Office

The government remains structured around functions and services with separate budgets for defence, foreign affairs, intelligence and development. Whitehall departments, intelligence agencies and the police forces that make up the security architecture have changed very little in the past two decades, despite the end of the Cold War and the attack on the World Trade Centre in 2001.

Based on a 12 month research project, this pamphlet sets out an approach to national security drawing on reforms and innovations from governments elsewhere in Europe and the United States and suggests some new ideas designed to shape the future of the national security architecture.

Recommendations (A line through them indicates they are being adopted by Government)

1.      A national security strategy has the potential to transform the way government approaches issues of national security but the development of a strategy must be comprehensive and supported across the political spectrum, within Whitehall and by the public.

2.      While the publication of a national security strategy is welcome the government should go further and create a national security secretariat...

3.      In collaboration with the prime minister and cabinet the national security secretariat should identify three to five most serious and immediate priorities for UK national security. These might be serious and organised crime, counter-proliferation, counter-terrorism and energy security.

4.      The government should create networks across Whitehall on issues such as ‘governance and rule of law’, ‘trade and diplomacy’, ‘climate change’ and ‘security sector reform’.

5.      Clarification of ministerial roles on issues of national security is needed. At present too many key policy areas or departmental units in government have little or no ministerial leadership.

6.      Public value must become the intellectual framework for public services and national security

7.      A national training centre should be created for the intelligence agencies and law enforcement.

8.      Based on the current IT programme SCOPE, the government should go further and create a similar system of information-sharing software based on the successful Intellipedia in the US.

9.      The post of ‘spokesperson on national security’ should be created and based in a new national security secretariat. (Could be the chair of the national security forum?)

10.  The government should make public an annual threat assessment.

11.  A quadripartite parliamentary select committee on national security should be created – bringing together existing select committees that focus on UK national interests, security and defence policy. The government must allocate more resources to parliamentary select committees including a panel of national security experts who can be called on to undertake investigations in specialist areas.

12.  The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) should not become a parliamentary select committee. Instead the ISC should be strengthened by recruiting a team of independent investigators while more resources should be provided for the ISC secretariat.