CABINET OFFICE News
Release (CAB/033/08) issued by The Government News Network on 19
March 2008
The Prime Minister
today announced the publication of the first National Security
Strategy for the United Kingdom. The strategy highlights the
nature of the new security challenges, how they have changed, and
how we are responding. In his statement to Parliament the Prime
Minister said:
"While our obligation to ensure the safety of the British
people and to protect the national interest is fixed and
unwavering, the nature of the threats and the risks we face has
changed beyond recognition and confounds all the old assumptions
about national defence and international security.
"As the national security strategy makes clear, new threats
demand new approaches. A radically updated and much more
coordinated response is now required.
"We need to mobilise all the resources available to us: the
power of our military, police and security services; the
persuasive force and reach of diplomacy; the authority of
strengthened global institutions which, with our full support, can
deploy both 'hard' and 'soft' power; and
because arms and authority will never be enough, the power of
ideas, of shared values and hopes that can win over hearts and minds."
The strategy sets out how we have learned the lessons of recent
years, including experiences of terrorism and civil emergencies,
but also overseas. Rwanda, the Balkans, Sierra Leone, Iraq,
Afghanistan, Darfur, Burma and Kenya all show the need for the
international community to be united and act decisively, but also
to plan for the longer term, including supporting failing states
and stabilising areas recovering from conflict, and tackling
violent extremism.
The Prime Minister also announced:
* a review of our Reserves, to see how they can play a greater
role in stabilisation and reconstruction in post-conflict zones;
* £600m of cross-government funding for conflict prevention,
resolution and stabilisation around the world over the next three
years, including an immediate commitment to fund 750 Burundian
troops as part of the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia,
and more help to train, equip and deploy troops for the joint
UN-AU peacekeeping operation in Darfur;
* in Afghanistan, an integrated civilian-military HQ, building on
the December plans for a more integrated approach across security,
governance, and development;
* in Iraq, progress on the Basra Development Commission, led by
Michael Wareing, promoting economic regeneration.
The Strategy argues that globalisation and an increasingly
interdependent world bring massive opportunities, and the UK, as
an outward-facing nation with global links and a focus on skills,
is well placed to exploit them. But we must also recognise and
address the vulnerabilities associated with globalisation: travel,
modern communications, the internet, and increased trade can
present opportunities for terrorism and transnational crime, or
increase the risk of pandemics.
We need to harness globalisation to meet the challenges it
generates. We need broader alliances and a reformed international
architecture to tackle common challenges. The strategy sets out
our intention to:
* reform and strengthen NATO, EU, and the UN, for example working
to make the UN Security Council more representative to give
greater legitimacy to decisive international action, including
looking at interim solutions if necessary;
* offer a "new bargain" to non-nuclear powers, inviting
interested countries to a London conference this year to discuss a
new system to help non-nuclear states safely acquire the new
sources of energy they need, including through a global enrichment bond;
* build bilateral and multilateral cooperation on terrorism, for
example with a new agreement signed with the UAE on freezing
terrorist assets.
As well as recognising that the challenges are increasingly
global and demand global solutions, the Strategy recognises that
the roots of problems are often local, as are the effects, and
sets out:
* a new Civil Protection network, replacing the old idea of civil
defence, building and strengthening local capacity to respond to a
range of circumstances from floods to terrorism;
* a new National Risk Register, publishing information previously
held privately within Government, so the public can see at first
hand the risks we face, and plan accordingly;
* an update on the Prevent work to help local communities resist
violent extremism, to be published shortly.
The Strategy sets out how we will build a more hard-headed,
long-term, integrated approach:
* It reinforces the cross-government counter-terrorist effort,
including expanding the inter-departmental Joint Terrorism
Analysis Centre, and work to strengthen protection at our borders
and for crowded places.
* It confirms the shift in Foreign Office focus from Europe to
key regions, for example the Middle East, with Embassies which
used to do mainly consular work now doing political engagement and
security support, for example in Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.
* It reinforces the long-term focus on underlying drivers of
insecurity: tackling the violent extremism which drives terrorism;
conflict mediation; post-conflict stabilisation; and the effects
on security of the long-term challenges of climate change and
global poverty.
* It recognises that Government can't meet all these new
challenges by itself, and commits to stronger partnerships with
local authorities and communities and announces a new National
Security Forum composed of business, academics, community
organisations and military and security experts to advise Government.
* It commits to greater transparency and accountability in this
increasingly important and visible area of policy, with an
enhanced scrutiny and public role for the Intelligence and
Security Committee, including the first public hearings.
Notes to editors
1. The Government has increased spending on counter-terrorism
from £1bn in 2001 to £2.5bn now and £3.5bn in 2011, doubling the
size of the security service, and increasing Special Branch and
counter-terrorist police.
2. The Defence budget has had the longest period of sustained
real growth since the 1980s, with additional investment from the
Reserve in equipment for Iraq and Afghanistan. The Ministry of
Defence today announced retention measures including new £15,000
long service bonus to bring the Armed Forces, especially the Army,
closer to full strength.
3. Copies of the strategy are available at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/reports/national_security_strategy.aspx
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