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Brown unveils security strategy | Brown unveils security strategy |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Gordon Brown has set out plans to deal with national emergencies such as terror, disease pandemics and flooding. | |
The National Security Strategy also proposes that the "national register of risks" be made available to the public. | |
The prime minister said the number of security service staff would rise to 4,000 and that there would be new moves to secure the UK against cyber-attacks. | |
He also said there would be a 1,000 person civilian task force to be sent to trouble-spots around the world. | |
This would include police, emergency services and judges and would be put on standby to help failing states and countries emerging from conflict. | |
Commitment bonus | |
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Brown said Britain would use diplomacy to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world. | |
Among other changes, he also said there would be £15,000 commitment bonuses for long-serving military personnel and a £20m fund to help armed forces purchase homes. | |
SECURITY STRATEGY National 'register of risks'Increase security services personnel to 4,000Civilian task force to be sent to trouble spotsEfforts to reduce numbers of nuclear weapons around the world£15,000 bonus to long-serving armed forces staffRegional counter-terrorism centres to help policeMoves to protect UK from cyber-attacksReview of role of reserve forces class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7304999.stm">In full: Brown's statement | |
Four regional counter-terrorism units and four regional intelligence units would be set up to help the police. | |
Meanwhile, the government has launched a review of the role of the Territorial Army and other reserve forces. | |
Mr Brown said threats to Britain had "changed out of all recognition" in recent years and that tactics had to alter accordingly. | |
"Our new approach to security also means improved local resilience against emergencies, building and strengthening local capacity to respond effectively in a range of circumstances from floods to possible terrorism incidents," he said. | |
"Not the old Cold War idea of civil defence but a new form of civil protection that combines expert preparedness for potential emergencies with greater local engagement of individuals and families themselves." | |
Mr Brown also announced reforms of the Intelligence and Security Committee, a parliamentary body which oversees the security services MI5 and MI6, and other areas. | |
He promised "greater transparency" and said the ISC's role would become more like House of Commons select committees, which hold their sessions mainly in public rather than in secret. | |
Extreme weather | |
But Conservative leader David Cameron said the prime minister's statement had "sounded more like a list than a strategy". | |
The National Security Strategy ranks climate change and extreme weather as being as great a risk to Britain as terrorism. | |
But the Conservatives say the government has to set up a permanent security council to implement its strategy, rather than rely on existing committees, or risk becoming "some sort of talking shop". | But the Conservatives say the government has to set up a permanent security council to implement its strategy, rather than rely on existing committees, or risk becoming "some sort of talking shop". |
A report by think-tank Demos warned recently that the government was "lurching from one crisis to another" and leaving the country vulnerable to attack. | A report by think-tank Demos warned recently that the government was "lurching from one crisis to another" and leaving the country vulnerable to attack. |
It said: "The forthcoming national security strategy is a step in the right direction but its aim must be to transform our outdated and compartmentalised national security architecture. | It said: "The forthcoming national security strategy is a step in the right direction but its aim must be to transform our outdated and compartmentalised national security architecture. |
"Unless we have joined-up government of national security, we will be vulnerable through the cracks." | "Unless we have joined-up government of national security, we will be vulnerable through the cracks." |