Matthew Collins
British intelligence officer and national security official
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| Occupation | Intelligence officer, national security official, Deputy National Security Adviser, Cabinet Office |
| Known for | former head of Prevent and RICU |
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Matthew Collins is a British intelligence officer and national security official. He has served in senior roles within the UK's national security apparatus, including as Executive Director for National Security (DNSA) under multiple Prime Ministers.
Career
Matthew Collins is a senior UK civil servant with extensive experience in counter-terrorism and national security. He held roles in the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) in which he served as Director of Prevent and the Research, Information and Communications Unit (RICU) around 2016 (SCS2 level).
Early career (to mid-2010s)
Collins worked as Operational Lead in Counter-Terrorism and Digital Security. He spearheaded efforts to remove terrorist propaganda from online platforms, pioneering public-private partnerships to dismantle Daesh/ISIS content. For these contributions he was awarded a CBE.[1]
Late 2010s to 2022
Senior Director on tech-driven security and public-private partnerships, deploying automated systems to intercept hostile content in collaboration with organisations like Faculty.
Collins career timeline
| Period | Role | Organisation | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-2016 | Operational Lead Counter-Terrorism & Digital Security | Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) | Led anti-propaganda initiatives against Daesh. |
| c. 2016 | Director of Prevent and RICU | OSCT, Home Office | Senior role (SCS2) overseeing counter-extremism. |
| Late 2010s–2022 | Senior Director Tech Partnerships | UK Government | Public-private AI for content moderation. |
| 2022–Present | Deputy National Security Adviser (DNSA) Intelligence, Defence & Security | National Security Secretariat (Cabinet Office) | Senior role under multiple Prime Ministers. |
Testimony on career trajectory and NSS role
In oral evidence to Parliament in 2025, Matthew Collins described his career trajectory, noting he was recruited into senior national security roles by former National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill.
On the role and function of the National Security Secretariat (NSS):
"The NSS supports the National Security Council and the Prime Minister on national security matters. We coordinate across government to ensure a joined-up approach to threats."
Collins referenced collaboration with colleagues including Dame Barbara Woodward and emphasised the NSS's function in providing strategic advice and ensuring coherence in intelligence, defence and security policy.[2]
Involvement in Chinese spy case
In 2025, Matthew Collins, as Deputy National Security Adviser, was identified as the key civil servant whose decisions and delayed witness statement contributed to the collapse of a high-profile prosecution against two men accused of spying for China. The case collapse led to scrutiny of government handling of sensitive intelligence in prosecutions.[3] Prosecutors said they had waited over 14 months for a statement from Collins regarding the national security threat posed by the suspects. The case, which involved allegations of espionage against the UK, collapsed amid controversy over government handling of sensitive intelligence in legal proceedings.[4][5]
Collins' witness statement (Statement 1) addressed the government's position on the case. The collapse led to questions about coordination between the Crown Prosecution Service, intelligence agencies, and senior officials under the Starmer government.[6]