WIREDGOV

Global Britain in a Competitive Age: The Integrated Review of Security, Defence Development and Foreign Policy.

The Prime Minister yesterday launched the Integrated Review (IR) including the government’s Strategic Framework, which details the overarching national security and international policy objectives to 2025. The Strategic Framework focuses on the following four themes:

1. Sustaining Strategic Advantage through Science and Technology
2. Shaping the open international order of the future
3. Strengthening security and defence at home and overseas
4. Building resilience at home and overseas

Alongside these themes, the IR will bring to bear new capabilities, including the Counter Terrorism Operations Centre and the National Cyber Force, and will integrate government’s resources to better combat global challenges. At the heart of the IR is an increased commitment to security and resilience, so that the UK is protected against existing and emerging threats out to 2030. 

Responding to the publication of the Integrated Review, techUK’s CEO Julian David yesterday commented:

“Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister marks a seismic shift in the UK’s approach to foreign policy, defence and national security. For techUK and our members, the emphasis on technology as a strategic enabler is welcome, particularly the focus on the cutting-edge technologies of artificial intelligence, cyber security, and space-based capabilities. This, together with the wholesale modernisation of UK defence capabilities and substantial uplift in UK spending on research and development, will encourage greater collaboration between government and the technology industry to deliver on the review’s ambitions.

“techUK also welcomes the review’s commitment to climate change and preserving biodiversity as the primary international priority, particularly ahead of the UK’s hosting of COP26 later this year. Looking ahead, and with the imminent publication of the Defence Command Paper and Defence & Security Industrial Strategy, techUK and our members remain committed to working with our partners across government to deliver on ambitions of the Integrated Review.”

Below techUK looks at the key themes of the IR and also highlights the specific measures within Spending Review 2020 (SR 2020) that support the delivery of the Strategic Framework.

Click here for the full press release