The National Security Council (UK): a briefing on its creation, impact & future Dr Joe Devanny

Five questions •. What is the National Security Council. • 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?

• NSC terms of reference • NSC membership • NSC support structures What is the National Security Council (NSC)? • NSC terms of reference • NSC membership • NSC support structures

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)

NSC membership (ministerial) •. Prime Minister (chair) • 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 Eleven members: relatively stable over five years, changes with resignations and reshuffles; “hat wearing” – portfolio, broader role in party, party balancing in coalition. Officials also attend regularly: NSA, JIC Chairman, Cabinet Secretary, C, DG SyS; D/GCHQ, CDS, PUS FCO

NSC attendees (official) •. National Security Adviser • 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) Eleven members: relatively stable over five years, changes with resignations and reshuffles; “hat wearing” – portfolio, broader role in party, party balancing in coalition. Officials also attend regularly: NSA, JIC Chairman, Cabinet Secretary, C, DG SyS; D/GCHQ, CDS, PUS FCO

NSC Support Structures National Security Adviser (NSA) Sir Kim Darroch Source: www.gov.uk New role: amalgamates responsibilities from several previous posts: Intelligence and Security Coordinator, Foreign Policy Adviser, Secretary of the Cabinet.

NSC Support Structures National Security Secretariat New role: amalgamates responsibilities from several previous posts: Intelligence and Security Coordinator, Foreign Policy Adviser, Secretary of the Cabinet.

How does it work. •. Weekly meetings when Parliament is in session • 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

Why was it created? Criticism of ‘sofa’ government Collective, coordinated decisions Other reasons too: Increasingly centralised decision making, but lag time with central capacity to support prime ministerial and wider Cabinet decisions; plethora of NS-related senior advisers, need to streamline and improve lines of accountability.

What impact has it had? • Operation Ellamy: the NSC and Libya • Accessible and transparent decisions • Uplift in central capacity

What are its future prospects? General Election...

Conclusions • Prime Ministerial commitment • Inter-departmental cooperation • Credible and effective NSA • Capable and skilled Secretariat