§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of the risk to the UK of a terrorist attack; what counter-measures he has proposed; and what improvements have been made to strategic co-ordination and direction by central government. [74412]
§ Mr. BlunkettThe terrorist threat to the United Kingdom is monitored very closely and remains under constant review. The Government published on 9 September 2002 a progress report titled "The United Kingdom and the Campaign against International Terrorism". The report, which summarises measures taken within the UK to counter the terrorist threat since 11 September 2001 and the areas where the Government are planning to focus its future effort, can be accessed via the Cabinet Office website www.cabinet-office.gov.uk.
In October 2001, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister approved the establishment of a Ministerial Sub-Committee of the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee to oversee the Government's role in the international coalition against terrorism. DOP(IT) Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy, Sub-Committee on International Terrorism—was set up with a remit to keep under review the Government's policy on international terrorism, in particular the political, military and humanitarian response to the attacks in the United States on 11 September and preventative security measures in the UK and overseas.
As part of this new Sub-Committee, the Prime Minister established a Ministerial Group, which I chair, to keep under review policy on protective security. DOP(IT)(T)—Ministerial Group on Protective and Preventative Security—was set up with a remit to keep under review the Government's policy on preventative and precautionary security measures to counter the threat of terrorism in the UK and to British interests overseas.
I also maintain oversight of the United Kingdom's capacity to respond to terrorist attack through my chairmanship of the Civil Contingencies Committee.
To further enhance the capacity at the centre of Government to co-ordinate security, intelligence and consequence management matters and deal with risks and major emergencies should they arise, Sir David Omand KCB was appointed as Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator and Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office in June this year.