Conclusions and recommendations
1 Issues of national security are likely to dominate key areas of political debate during the next Parliament as they have during this; they will continue to feature prominently in the forum of public debate, and that prominence will only increase in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics. We very much hope that our successor Committee will take a strong interest in this subject.
(Paragraph 3)
2 We are disappointed with the quality of the
information contained both within the MoD's initial response to
our Report and in the supplementary memorandum. We believe that
the MoD has a good story to tell in relation to national security,
all the more given the heavy reliance upon the capabilities of
our Armed Forces to maintain that security. We therefore have
difficulty in understanding why the MoD has been so reticent in
responding to our requests for further information. It seems unduly
anxious about setting out in more detail the important role it
plays and its account of its own national security-related activities.
All of this seems to reveal a lack of confidence and an attempt
to downplay the importance of its role. (Paragraph 4)
3 We would welcome from the MoD more information
on the review of maritime security. (Paragraph 5)
4 We acknowledge that, for security reasons, elements of the MoD's and the Government's work in the area of national security cannot be placed within the public domain. However, the Government needs to be more explicit about what exactly it is doing, how it will fund its activities and plans, and who will lead and coordinate them. We also believe that the Government should provide updates by classified memorandum or briefing to our Committee and other appropriate select committees. We deplore the fact that the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, announced almost eighteen months ago in July 2008, has not yet even been appointed, let alone met, and will now presumably have no effect until after the General Election.
(Paragraph 6)
5 We would welcome clarification from the Government of how frequently the Ministerial Committee on National Security, International Relations and Development and its sub-committees have met or otherwise discussed matters since they were established.
(Paragraph 7)
6 The House ought to be kept informed of the
progress of the dialogue between the MoD and the Home Office over
preparations for security at the Olympics in as much detail as
appropriate. (Paragraph 8)
7 It is vital that the forthcoming Green Paper makes all the necessary and important connections between national security and our strategic defence capabilities. The next Government must, in its work on the Strategic Defence Review, make more explicit than is currently the case those connections and spell out clearly the role of the UK's defence assets in our national security.
(Paragraph 9)
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