The National Security Strategy

National Security Strategy (Joint Committee) Open Inquiry
Opened: 17 Jun 2025 Parliament page
The Government published a new National Security Strategy (NSS) on 24 June 2025. The NSS reviews the risks facing the UK and sets out plans to address them, structured under three themes: security at home, strength abroad, and sovereign and asymmetric capabilities. The Committee is seeking views on how well … Read more
21 Recommendations
16 Conclusions
1 Report
7 Oral sessions
6 Letters
7 Events
Activity timeline 15 events
24 Jun
2026
Report published
24 Jun
2026
Correspondence
27 Mar
2026
Report published
16 Mar
2026
Correspondence
26 Jan
2026
Oral evidence
26 Jan
2026
Correspondence
17 Nov
2025
Oral evidence
3 Nov
2025
Oral evidence
28 Oct
2025
Correspondence
20 Oct
2025
Oral evidence
13 Oct
2025
Oral evidence
8 Sep
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 7 sessions
26 Jan 2026
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Dan Jarvis · Home Office Matthew Collins · Cabinet Office Rt Hon Darren Jones MP · Cabinet Office
17 Nov 2025
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Pillar 3
Air Commodore (retd) Blythe Crawford CBE · Tiberius Aerospace Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Haydn Gaukroger OBE · Syos Aerospace Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein CBE · City St George’s, University of London Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt · Jesus College, University of Oxford Sophia Gaston · AUKUS Industry Forum
3 Nov 2025
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China
Isabel Hilton OBE Jonathan Hall KC · Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation Lord Sumption OBE PC, FSA, FRHistS Nigel Inkster CMG · MI6 The Rt Hon. the Lord Patten of Barnes KG CH
20 Oct 2025
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Asoke Mukerji Dr Marion Messmer Rose Gottemoeller · North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Will Todman · Middle East Program, CSIS
13 Oct 2025
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The NSS - Pillar 1 (Security at home)
Brigadier General Eero Rebo · Embassy of Estonia Captain (Navy) Juha Ravanti · Embassy of Finland Lisa Hollins · Voluntary & Community Sector Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP) Lord Toby Harris · National Preparedness Commission Steve Vincent · West Midlands Local Resilience Forum
14 Jul 2025
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The National Security Strategy
Matthew Collins · Cabinet Office Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP · Cabinet Office
23 Jun 2025
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The National Security Strategy
Grace Cassy · CyLon Ventures Lord Peter Ricketts GCMG GCVO · Lords European Affairs Committee Professor Michael Clarke · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Rachel Ellehuus · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report – The National Security Strategy HC 1045 27 Mar 2026 37 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
5 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Accepted in Part
4th Report – The National Security…
The Government must balance transparency with the public about the reality of threats the UK...
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Cabinet Office
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2 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The National Security…
The Government must reconsider how it discusses security challenges, and avoid being unduly opaque.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The National Security…
The Government should ensure it has a full and robust assessment of the national security...
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 … Read more
Government Response
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 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The National Security…
The Government must clarify how follow-up and oversight of Lead Government Departments responsible for delivering...
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 … Read more
Government Response
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 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The National Security…
All Ministers with responsibility for delivery of aspects of the National Security Strategy should make...
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) Read more
Government Response
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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Government Response AI assessment · 37 of 21 classified
Accepted 17
Accepted in Part 5
Acknowledged 9
Deferred 2
Not Addressed 2
Rejected 2
Total 21 recs + 16 conclusions
Correspondence 6 letters
24 Jun 2026 From committee Letter to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, relating to the Government's response to the Committee's report on The National Security Strategy, dated 23 June 2026
Parliament page
16 Mar 2026 To committee Response from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster relating to the NSS inquiry and NSC agendas, dated 11 February 2026
Parliament page
26 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster relating to funding commitments in the National Security Strategy, and the response, dated 14 January 2026
Parliament page
28 Oct 2025 To committee Letter from Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to the planning application for the Chinese Embassy, dated 21 October 2025
Parliament page
8 Sep 2025 Correspondence from Matt Collins, Deputy National Security Adviser following the oral evidence session on 14 July on The National Security Strategy, dated 15 August 2025
Parliament page
23 Jun 2025 Correspondence from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster relating to the forthcoming National Security Strategy, dated 19 June 2025
Parliament page