Source · Select Committees · National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
4th Report – The National Security Strategy
National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
HC 1045
Published 27 March 2026
Recommendations
2
Accepted in Part
The Government must reconsider how it discusses security challenges, and avoid being unduly opaque.
Recommendation
The Government must reconsider how it discusses security challenges, and avoid being unduly opaque. The Government should provide annual progress updates to this Committee on commitments in the National Security Strategy and in other related strategies such as the Resilience …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the importance of public awareness and engagement, detailing efforts for transparency through broad stakeholder consultation, an update on the China Audit, and a "transparent by default" approach for the NSRA. They commit to making an annual statement to Parliament on resilience but do not specifically agree to provide annual progress updates to the Committee.
Cabinet Office
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5
Accepted in Part
The Government should ensure it has a full and robust assessment of the national security...
Recommendation
The Government should ensure it has a full and robust assessment of the national security risks of reducing the Official Development Assistance budget, resisting further cuts that could have a damaging effect for UK strategic interests. We note the International …
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Government Response Summary
The government defends ODA budget reductions but commits to engaging constructively with the International Development Committee's inquiry. They agree on the importance of stable funding for key soft power institutions, will continue to draw on the Soft Power Council's advice, and will ensure soft power is considered in national risk assessments.
Cabinet Office
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7
Accepted in Part
The Government must clarify how follow-up and oversight of Lead Government Departments responsible for delivering...
Recommendation
The Government must clarify how follow-up and oversight of Lead Government Departments responsible for delivering the commitments in the National Security Strategy (NSS) will be sustained over time. This should involve accountability mechanisms at fixed points, for example through regular …
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Government Response Summary
The government describes its internal implementation approach for accountability and periodic reporting on National Security Strategy objectives and commits to updating the Committee on progress. However, it does not agree to publish an addendum assigning delivery responsibilities to named ministers, affirming departmental and ministerial accountability more broadly.
Cabinet Office
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8
Accepted in Part
All Ministers with responsibility for delivery of aspects of the National Security Strategy should make...
Recommendation
All Ministers with responsibility for delivery of aspects of the National Security Strategy should make themselves available for scrutiny by this Committee at regular intervals, and as requested, to ensure proper parliamentary accountability. (Recommendation, Paragraph 42)
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Government Response Summary
The government accepted the principle of ministerial accountability and that ministers should attend when called upon, but stated that the government should be able to confirm which minister is best placed to represent the issue.
Cabinet Office
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Conclusions (1)
1
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
The Government must balance transparency with the public about the reality of threats the UK faces with not causing alarm and making sensitive information unnecessarily accessible to adversaries. However, there is a sense among industry stakeholders and civil society organisations that they were not sufficiently consulted in the development of …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the importance of public awareness and engagement, detailing efforts for transparency through stakeholder consultation, an update on the China Audit, and a "transparent by default" approach for the NSRA. They also commit to publishing annual public survey findings on risk perception and continuing annual statements to Parliament on resilience.