National Security for the 21st Century

Recent reports of the Government's contradictory statements about the funding of counter-terrorism activities in Pakistan have drawn attention to the need for a shake-up and a rapid improvement to the nation's national security apparatus.

On 15th January, David Cameron launched the Conservative Party’s Green Paper on National Security with Pauline Neville-Jones, Shadow Security Minister and National Security Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition.

The main announcements in the Green Paper are:

- A proper National Security Council. A Conservative Government will establish a proper National Security Council (NSC), chaired by the Prime Minister, with the Foreign Secretary as his deputy. The NSC will meet weekly and will carry day-to-day responsibility for the nation’s security. It will be serviced by a small secretariat based in the Cabinet Office. Its members will include the Chancellor, Home Secretary, Defence Secretary, International Development Secretary and Security Minister, and other Ministers nominated by the Prime Minister. It will be advised by, among others, the Chief of the Defence Staff (with individual Service Chiefs as necessary), the Heads of the Security and Intelligence Agencies, Departmental Permanent Secretaries and a National Security Adviser, who will be an official, and who will head the supporting Secretariat.

The NSC will be responsible as a de facto ‘War Cabinet’ for the conduct of the UK contribution to the mission in Afghanistan. If the Conservatives form the next Government, we will invite the leaders of the main opposition parties to attend the war cabinet on a regular basis so they can offer their advice and insights.

- New National Security Strategy. Conservatives will introduce a new National Security Strategy, developed by the National Security Council, which will provide the policy framework for the Government’s entire national security effort. This will be a living document, updated every Parliament or as circumstances require. The purpose of the National Security Strategy is to set the framework across government for all security-related work over the longer term (up to approximately 2025) including for the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

- A better approach to post-conflict reconstruction. Change is needed to deliver results in areas like Afghanistan. A Conservative Government will create a Stabilisation and Reconstruction Force which will bring together the skills necessary to carry out vital stabilisation work.

- A military contribution to homeland security and resilience. The military is best placed to provide agile and innovative command and control capabilities in support of the civil power when natural events are of such a scale, pace and danger that the emergency services are in danger of being overwhelmed. A Conservative government will establish a small permanent military command or headquarters for homeland defence and security and ensure there is a predictable regular armed forces contribution to homeland tasks.

- Protection against cyber attacks. In June 2009, the Government said that it would set up a ‘Cyber Security Operations Centre’ at Cheltenham. This Centre though is not yet operational. The country needs a proactive and effective capability to respond to cyber attacks. A Conservative government will set up a Cyber Threat and Assessment Centre (CTAC) by building on the existing Cyber Security Operations Centre to provide a common operating picture, threat assessment and situational awareness to users. It will act as the single reporting point for all cyber-related incidents. This will lay the foundation for the development of a National Operations Centre able to respond to cyber events.

The defence of the Realm is the first priority of any government. The Conservative's proposals will bring the country's ability to respond to terror threats into the 21st Century and will be one of the key priorities if the Party forms the next Government.