The National Security Strategy

National Security Strategy

The National security strategy was published back in October 2010 which "is about gearing Britain up for this new age of uncertainty – weighing up the threats we face, and preparing to deal with them".

This document thus defines the risk of various national issues and the extent to which we should be planning for them (as organisations are now told to prepare for a wide range of issues).

The risk assessment element of the strategy identified 3 tiers of risks:

Priority risks
1. International terrorism
2. Cyber war and Cyber crime
3. National natural hazard (flu or flooding affecting more than 3 regions)
4. Military crisis requiring the UK to get involved
Medium risks (could have high impact but less likely)
1. CBN war with another state
2. Civil war overseas increasing terrorist efficiency
3. Major growth in organised crime
4. Data communications severely interrupted
Lower risks
1. Conventional strike on the UK by another state
2. Major increase in crime
3. Disruption to fuel supplies
4. Civil nuclear disaster
5. Attack on a NATO country drawing us in
6. An attack on a UK overseas territory (i.e. the Falklands)
7. Disruption of international resources - i.e. food / supplies

This may seem a boring list but what it actually shows is that active war related Civil Defence planning should (in the wider scheme of things) be considered not our top priority.