Dr Joe Devanny Five questions What is the National Security Council How does it work Why was it created What impact has it had What are its future prospects 2 NSC terms of reference ID: 696169
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Slide1
The National Security Council (UK): a briefing on its creation, impact & future
Dr Joe DevannySlide2
Five questions• What is the National Security Council?
• How does it work?
• Why was it created?• What impact has it had?• What are its future prospects?
2Slide3
• NSC terms of reference• NSC membership
• NSC support structures
3
What is the National Security Council (NSC)?Slide4
NSC terms of reference
“To consider matters relating to National Security, Foreign Policy, Defence, International Relations and Development, Resilience, Energy and Resource Security.”
(Source: ‘Cabinet Committee Membership Lists’
, Cabinet Office, December 2014)
4Slide5
NSC membership (ministerial)
• Prime Minister (chair)
• Deputy Prime Minister• First Secretary of State• Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Secretary of State for Home Department
• Secretary of State for Defence
• Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
• Secretary of State for International Development
• Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Minister for Government Policy
5Slide6
NSC attendees (official)
• National Security Adviser
• Secretary of the Cabinet• Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC)
•
Permanent Under Secretary, Foreign
and Commonwealth
Office
•
Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)
•
Director General of the Security Service (
SyS/Mi5)•
Director, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
• Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS)
6Slide7
NSC Support Structures
National Security Adviser (NSA)
7
Sir Kim
Darroch
Source: www.gov.ukSlide8
NSC Support Structures
National Security Secretariat
8Slide9
How does it work
?
• Weekly meetings when Parliament is in session
• Meets for one hour,
takes
two papers
•
“Flanking
” committees of officials
• Work-flow is responsibility of NSA
9Slide10
Why was it created?
10
Criticism of ‘sofa’ government
Collective, coordinated decisionsSlide11
What impact has it had?
11
• Operation Ellamy
: the NSC and Libya
• Accessible and transparent decisions
• Uplift in central capacitySlide12
What are its future prospects?
12
General Election...Slide13
Conclusions
13
• Prime Ministerial commitment• Inter-departmental cooperation
• Credible and effective NSA
• Capable and skilled Secretariat