National Security Secretariat

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The National Security Secretariat (NSS) is one of the ‘seven Agencies and Departments which form the UK Intelligence Community’.[1][2]

It supports 'the National Security Council (NSC) and the Prime Minister across all national security and international policy issues'. [3]

The 'core NSS objectives' are to:

  • Protect our people at home, in our Overseas Territories and abroad; and to protect our territory, economic security, infrastructure and way of life
  • Project our global influence reducing the likelihood of threats materialising and affecting the UK, our interests and those of our allies and partners
  • Promote our prosperity seizing opportunities, working innovatively and supporting UK industry[3]


Units within the NSS

People

National Security Secretariat as at 30 June 2010. Source Cabinet Office Structure Charts, 2010. Retrieved from Internet Archive of 15 April 2015.

The size and shape of the National Security Secretariat (NSS) and its senior leadership has fluctuated since its inception in May 2010. From July 2010, there were two Deputy National Security Advisers (DNSAs): Julian Miller for Foreign & Defence Policy and Oliver Robbins for Intelligence, Security & Resilience.[4] By March 2013, Hugh Powell – previously a National Security Secretariat Director – had been promoted to a newly created third DNSA position.[5] As of 6 November 2014, there were three DNSAs: Hugh Powell as DNSA (Foreign Policy), Julian Miller as DNSA (Defence, Nuclear and Strategy) and Paddy McGuinness as DNSA (Intelligence, Security & Resilience).[6] As of early December 2014, the National Security Secretariat was staffed by 180 officials[7] and comprises five directorates: Foreign & Defence Policy; the Civil Contingencies Secretariat; Security & Intelligence; the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance, and UK Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT UK).[6] As of 10 February 2015, Liane Saunders – previously the National Security Secretariat's Director for Foreign Policy and its Afghanistan/Pakistan Coordinator – was described as an Acting Deputy National Security Adviser (Conflict, Stability and Foreign Policy).[8]

On 16 June 2016, the Cabinet Office released staff data, correct as of 31 March 2016, listing two current Deputy National Security Advisers: Paddy McGuinness (responsible for Intelligence, Security and Resilience) and then Brigadier Gwyn Jenkins (responsible for Conflict, Stability & Defence).[9] Jenkins appeared to have been in post since at least June 2015.[10] Prior to becoming a deputy National Security Adviser, Jenkins was the military assistant to prime minister David Cameron.[11]

As of April 2017, it was announced that a diplomat, Christian Turner, had replaced Jenkins as the second Deputy National Security Adviser, with a portfolio comprising 'foreign and defence policy.'[12] According to one of Turner's tweets, dated 13 April 2017, his first week as Deputy National Security Adviser was the week commencing Monday 10 April 2017.[13] Turner is now the High Commissioner to Pakistan.[14] Turner was replaced by David Quarrey in July 2019.[15]

It was reported on 14 January 2018 that Paddy McGuinness was leaving the national security secretariat.[16] His successor as deputy national security adviser for intelligence, security and resilience, Richard Moore, announced his appointment on 8 January via his personal Twitter account.[17] Moore’s tenure as deputy NSA was relatively brief (circa three months), ending in early April when he returned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Political Director, a move he also announced via Twitter on 8 April.[18] Although unconfirmed publicly by the UK government, Madeleine Alessandri had replaced Moore as the second deputy national security adviser.[19] However, in September 2018, Alessandri's name and appointment was mentioned in a government response to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament and a list of government salaries.[20][21] Alessandri apparently took up her appointment in July 2018.[22] Alessandri has left her Deputy NSA post to work in the Northern Ireland Office in January 2020.[23] Alessandri has been replaced by Beth Sizeland[24] while Alex Ellis has also been added as a deputy with the title 'Deputy National Security Adviser for the Integrated Review on diplomacy, development and defence'.[25] Sizeland's appointment was confirmed in an oral evidence by Mark Sedwill, however, as of 25 May 2020, her appointment has not been updated on the Cabinet Office website.[26]

As of October 2020, Quarrey has taken over the post of acting NSA while Lord Frost remains Chief Negotiator for the European Union talks.[27] On 29 January 2021, it was announced that Stephen Lovegrove, not Frost, would be appointed as National Security Adviser.[28]

Notes

  1. ↑ Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament How the Committee works. Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 11 March 2020.
  2. ↑ Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament How the Committee works. Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 15 June 2022.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cabinet Office 4597 - B1 (EO) Executive Support Officer, National Security Secretariat. Closing date 5 January 2020. Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 13 September 2022.
  4. ↑ Cabinet Office Structure Charts, page 12.  Cabinet Office HM Government.
  5. ↑ Cabinet Office staff and salary data – senior posts as at 31 March 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dr Joe Devanny & Josh Harris (2014-11-04) The National Security Council: national security at the centre of government.   Institute for Government & King's College London
  7. ↑ National Security Council:Written question - 215980.
  8. ↑ Security and Diversity.  Cabinet Office.
  9. ↑ Cabinet Office staff and salary data: senior posts as at 31 March 2016.  Cabinet Office.
  10. ↑ KRG Deputy PM meets UK officials.  Kurdistan Regional Government.
  11. ↑ Letter from the Military Assistant.  Prime Minister's Office.
  12. ↑ Dr Christian Turner.  Cabinet Office.
  13. ↑ A busy first week as Deputy National Security Adviser; farewell to @LyallGrant looking forward to working with @marksedwill.  Twitter.
  14. ↑ Dr Christian Turner.  British High Commission, Islamabad.
  15. ↑ David Quarrey.  gov.uk.
  16. ↑ Richard Kerbaj (14 January 2018) British security chief to advise Qatar on World Cup security.  
  17. ↑ Excited to be starting my new job as DNSA today. "Allah utandırmasın" as the Turks say - meaning roughly "Let him not mess it up"..  Twitter.
  18. ↑ Thrilled & honoured to be starting as U.K. Political Director in @foreignoffice tomorrow. Much to learn, much to do. Looking forward to it..  Twitter.
  19. ↑ Investigators in hazmat suits enter Novichok victim's home.  Press Association.
  20. ↑ Government Response to Report on Diversity and Inclusion in the UK Intelligence Community.  Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.
  21. ↑ UK Cabinet Office Organogram - Senior CSV data.  Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.
  22. ↑ Madeleine Alessandri Deputy National Security Adviser, National Security Secretariat, UK Cabinet Office.  ambitionexpouk.
  23. ↑ Appointment of Permanent Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office. 7 January 2020. 
  24. ↑ New Deputy National Security Adviser.  Whatdotheyknow.
  25. ↑ Deputy National Security Adviser Alex Ellis.  Cabinet Office.
  26. ↑ Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee inquiry The Work of the Cabinet Office Oral Evidence 10 March 2020.  Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.
  27. ↑ Deputy National Security Advisers.  Whatdotheyknow.
  28. ↑ International Affairs Appointments in No.10 and Cabinet Office. 29 January 2021. 
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