Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism
This article is part of the Counter-Terrorism Portal project of Spinwatch. |
The Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) is a directorate within the Home Office which leads work on counter-terrorism in the UK. It is part of the UK intelligence community.
As of October 2009, it reported to Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Minister of State Phil Woolas.[1]
According to the Guardian, the OSCT is 'widely regarded in Whitehall as being an intelligence agency'.[2] The Office's head, Charles Farr, is a former senior intelligence officer, as is another un-named senior officer.[2] In 2010 the OSCT website stated (prior to the incoming Cameron government) that one of its official functions was to 'manage the Home Secretary’s statutory relationship with the Security Service'[3]
Preventing Violent Extremism
The OSCT, for the year 2009-10, has a total funding of £8.5 million in relation to preventing violent extremism.[4]
The OSCT in 2009-10 is providing £5.6 million of direct funding to the National Offender Management System in regards to a programme of preventing violent extremism and radicalisation. This programme, however, spans across the entire Contest 2 strategy.[5]
The Youth Justice Board is in receipt of £3.5 of this £5.6 million and is delivering Prevent programmes through Youth Offending Teams.[6]
The OSCT spent £600,000 on the Channel Programme in 2006-07 and has spent £1 million in 2008-09. [7]
Subsidiaries
People
- Charles Farr - head
Notes
- ↑ About us, Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, Home Office, accessed 17 October 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vikram Dodd, Government anti-terrorism strategy 'spies' on innocent, guardian.co.uk, 16 October 2009.
- ↑ Home Office. Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism About us, This snapshot taken on 19/04/2010, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives, accessed 16 January 2011.
- ↑ Home Office Freedom of Information Request 12172 - accessed 17/11/09
- ↑ Delivering the Prevent Strategy: An Updated Guide for Local Partners HM Government, August 2009, p. 26 - accessed 17/11/09
- ↑ ibid
- ↑ House of Commons Hansard, Column 1376W 22 July 2008 - accessed 18/11/09
