Recommendation 10

When we asked what was being done to make UKSV more resilient and better able to deal with future upsurges in demand, the Cabinet Office offered us three solutions: 15 Q 26 16 Qq 22, 23; C&AG’s 2023 Report, Figures 10 and 11 17 C&AG’s 2023 Report, paras 2.3, 2.4 and Figure 7 18 C&AG’s Report, Investigation into national security vetting, Session 2017–2019, HC 1500, 7 September 2018, para 3.4 19 Q 27 20 Q 28 12 The performance of UK Security Vetting i) improvements in forecasting (see above). ii) increased automation: it said around 20% of the overall operation is currently digitised, and there are plans to increase that up to 30% and then 40% “over the next few years”, although the Cabinet Office expressed disappointment that its progress on this front was slower than hoped.21 To date the focus has been on automating the lower-level, more transactional, security clearances including the new accreditation checks for the aviation industry.22 iii) a more flexible resourcing model which offers extra capacity through the use of temporary contractors:23 The Cabinet Office referred to its use of staff from other departments including HMRC and military police as well as contractors (see below).24 It explained that it had also secured increases in productivity through changes to process and policy and by setting staff individual targets.25 Risks from deferred vetting renewals