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Last updated: 24 March 2010
The security challenges facing the UK are increasingly complex and unpredictable, ranging from disease to cyber warfare.
Supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet
The White paper The National Security Strategy of the United Kingdom: Security in an interdependent world is the first government document to draw together all the potential threats, along with the structures put in place to deal with them.
A White Paper document issued by a government department, containing detailed proposals for legislation, is the final stage before the Government introduces its proposals to Parliament in the form of a Bill.
Published by the Cabinet Office in March 2008, this strategy highlights the new security challenges and illustrates the range of knowledge and activity across departments, agencies and armed forces, helping people to go about their daily lives freely, and with minimal risk.
The White Paper also argues that globalisation and an increasingly interdependent world bring massive opportunities – which the UK, as an outward-facing nation with global links and a focus on skills, is well placed to exploit.
One of the many security initiatives highlighted in the White Paper is the creation in April 2008 of the UK Border Agency, which brings together in one organisation the work previously carried out by the Border and Immigration Agency, the border control work of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and UKvisas, a joint operation of the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The case for establishing the agency is outlined in Security in a Global Hub – Establishing the UK's new border arrangements, a Cabinet Office review commissioned by the Prime Minister.
The UK's economic and social well-being depends to a great extent on its international links, as well as on flows of people and trade, which are increasing. But the UK needs to be prepared to respond to threats, such as organised crime and terrorism.
The Cabinet Office team, including staff from all of the agencies involved in security and border control, examined how those aims could be best approached – particularly through:
The published report sets out how the new UK Border Agency should be structured, and what its approach should be to deliver benefits to the UK population.
“In establishing the UK Border Agency, we are being given a huge and important responsibility to protect the UK public by securing the border and controlling migration,”
says Lin Homer, Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency.
“The Cabinet Office review provided the critical framework on which to build the new agency. By setting out some of the early priorities that we needed to focus upon, the review ensured a clear direction and momentum for our new organisation.”
Within its borders, Britain has faced emergencies as diverse as terrorist plots, flooding and bird flu over the past year.
Local services have risen to the challenge of dealing with these crises as they occurred.
Bruce Mann, Director, Civil Contingencies SecretariatCOBR is at the heart of government's response to a national crisis. Cabinet Office supplies the secretariat and the back-up to ensure that we can prepare for and react to any kind of crisis and ensure that the Prime Minister and ministerial colleagues have the best information and advice to deal with these events.
The Civil Contingencies Secretariat at the Cabinet Office has played a key role in developing resilience – planning and coordinating strategies to ensure the UK is well equipped to deal with civil crises. The Cabinet Office also plays a crucial role in coordinating the overall government response and in supporting the Prime Minister and other Ministers.
A key part of the Department's contribution has been in activating the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR), set up to prepare for national emergency. During the past year the Civil Contingencies Secretariat, working with the Crisis Management and Counter Terrorism team, has set COBR in motion over 10 times to coordinate efforts across government and to channel rapid support to local frontline services.
A COBR activation can entail anything from one-off meetings to multiple meetings for long-running events. Government colleagues convene national experts at short notice to make fast paced and focused decisions aimed at protecting Britain's people.
Every emergency situation, however well handled, brings with it the opportunity to learn important lessons. These lessons are used to deliver continuous improvements across government and are shared with key stakeholders in anticipation of future scenarios.
The Emergency Planning College at Easingwold, based in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside, has built up an international reputation for training people in emergencies and their effects – prevention, preparation, responses and recovery.
“Since becoming part of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat five years ago, we've transformed ourselves into a world class civil protection college,”
says Chief Executive Michael Charlton-Weedy – recruited from the Army in 2003 to get the £7 million transformation programme off the ground.
“Last year we trained some 7,000 people from across the UK who occupy key positions in civil protection and public safety.
“Working across government as part of the Cabinet Office has been critical to transforming the quality of civil protection training. We provide training that directly benefits the safety of the UK; and we earn substantial income from our commercial activities. That represents real value for the taxpayer.”