National Security Communications Team
The National Security Communications Team was created in April 2018 in the Cabinet Office. 'Policy responsibility' for the team moved from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the 2019/20 year.[1]
People
Staffing
According to David Lidington MP, as of July 2018, the NSCT consisted of 7 civil servants as well as 3 civil servants who had joined on a temporary basis.[2]
Staff
- Victoria Woodbine – Head of National Security Communications (Jun 2017 - Present (Jan 2023))[3] [4]
- Mikey Hoare Director of National Security Communications (Aug 2020 - present (Jan 2023))[5]
An FoI response from the Cabinet Officer on 1 July 2020 stated:
- Please see below for the names of the Senior Civil Servants responsible for the Rapid Response Unit and National Security Communications Team.
- Head of Digital, No 10 and Cabinet Office - Peter Heneghan
- Deputy Director, National Security Communications team - Darragh McElroy[6]
Former staff
- Andy Burwell - Head of Stakeholder Engagement at National Security Communications Team (Mar 2019 - Apr 2020).[7][8]
- Darragh McElroy - Deputy Director of National Security Communications[9] (Feb 2019 - Aug 2020)[10]
- Daniel Walpole – Former Head of National Security Communications at Prime Minister's Office and Cabinet Office Communications (2018–2019), then Head Of Communications at Counter Terrorism Policing [11]
- Cormac Smith – Deputy Head of Communications/Head of Planning NSCT (April 18 – Nov 18). Previously embedded in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (Oct 2016 - Mar 2018).[12]
Resources
- CSSF Annual Review - Summary Sheet: PROGRAMME TITLE: National Security Communications Team
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/842737/National_Security_Communications_Team_Programme.odt
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conflict-stability-and-security-fund-national-security-communications-team-programme-summary-2020-to-2021
See also
- Specialist Group Military Intelligence
- National Cyber Security Centre
- Counter Disinformation Cell (AKA Disinformation & Misinformation Unit) - DCMS is the lead department.
- Rapid Response Unit
- Specialist Group Military Intelligence
- Counter-Daesh Coalition Communications Cell
- Counter Disinformation and Media Development
- Conflict, Stability and Security Fund
- 77th Brigade
Notes
- ↑ CSSF Annual Review - Summary Sheet: PROGRAMME TITLE: National Security Communications Team
- ↑ National Security Communications Unit: Staff:Written question – 157647 Asked by Jon Trickett, answered by David Lidington, HC Deb, 3 July 2018, cW, archived at: https://archive.vn/7LC0d
- ↑ Victoria Woodbine, LinkedIn Profile (6 June 2020) archived at: https://archive.vn/E87Qq
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-woodbine-b5319753/?originalSubdomain=uk
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikey-hoare-71710562/?originalSubdomain=uk
- ↑ Eirian Walsh Atkins, Cabinet Office Freedom of Information request 'A list of names who currently work for the Rapid Response Unit and/or National Security Communications Team'.
- ↑ Andy Burwell, LinkedIn Profile (6 June 2020) archived at: https://archive.vn/a88Et
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-burwell-a924b743/?originalSubdomain=uk
- ↑ Darragh McElroy, '10 years of the National Security Council', Civil Service Quarterly Blog (Feb 2020).
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/darragh-mcelroy-82b887113/?originalSubdomain=uk
- ↑ Daniel Walpole, LinkedIn Profile (7 June 2020) archived at: https://archive.vn/6lgZT
- ↑ https://archive.vn/7e7IW
