16 May 2007
Tony Blair prepared a written ministerial statement on the subject of the new Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet.
Read the statement in full
On 29 March 2007 (Official Report, columns 133-35WS), I announced details of Machinery of Government changes to the Home Office and the then Department for Constitutional Affairs. Alongside this, I announced the creation of new Cabinet Committees on Crime and the Criminal Justice System and on Security and Terrorism. I am now announcing the membership and terms of reference of the new Committees.
Responsibility for the National Offender Management Service, and for criminal law and sentencing policy, moved from the Home Office to the new Ministry of Justice on 9 May. Public protection and crime reduction will continue to be the core focus of Government policy. The new Ministerial Committee on Crime and the Criminal Justice System (CJS) will take this forward.
The role of the Home Secretary and the capabilities of the Home Office in facing the terrorist threat have been strengthened and a new Office of Security and Counter Terrorism has been established in the Home Office. The Committee on Security and Terrorism (ST) will oversee this work, including international terrorism and counter radicalisation. It will be supported by two sub-Committees: Counter Radicalisation (ST(CR)); and, Protection and Resilience (ST(PR)). The existing sub-Committees on International Terrorism (DOP(IT)) and Protective Security and Resilience (DOP(IT)(PSR)) will therefore no longer operate.
The list of Cabinet Committees, which is available in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Cabinet Office website, will be updated in due course to reflect these changes.
Ministerial Committee on Crime and the Criminal Justice System (CJS)
Composition
- Prime Minister (Chair)
- Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State (Deputy Chair)
- Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal
- Secretary of State for the Home Department
- Secretary of State for Health
- Minister for the Cabinet Office and for Social Exclusion (and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster)
- Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
- Secretary of State for Education and Skills
- Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Minister for Women
- Minister without Portfolio
- Chief Whip (Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury)
- Attorney General
The Secretaries of State for Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council, and Lords Chief Whip and Captain of the Gentleman-at-Arms receive papers. Other Ministers may be invited to attend as necessary.
Terms of Reference
“To set and oversee the delivery of the Government’s strategy for reducing crime and reoffending, for reforming the Criminal Justice System, and for policing.”
Ministerial Committee on Security and Terrorism (ST)
Composition
- Prime Minister (Chair)
- Secretary of State for the Home Department (Deputy Chair*)
- Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
- Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal
- Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
- Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
- Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Minister for Women
- Secretary of State for Defence
- Secretary of State for Transport
- Attorney General
Other Ministers will be invited to attend as necessary. The Heads of the Security and Intelligence Agencies, Chair of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Terrorism and Allied Matters Committee) and the Permanent Secretary, Intelligence, Security and Resilience will attend as required.
* Other ministers such as the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government may deputise as appropriate.
Terms of Reference
“To develop the Government’s strategy for reducing the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from terrorism, and to drive forward its delivery; and to consider related security issues as appropriate.”
Ministerial Committee on Security and Terrorism
Ministerial Sub Committee on Counter Radicalisation (ST) (CR))
Composition
- Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Minister for Women (Chair)
- Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
- Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal
- Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
- Secretary of State for the Home Department
- Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
- Minister for the Cabinet Office and for Social Exclusion (and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster)
- Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
- Secretary of State for International Development
- Secretary of State for Education and Skills
- Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
- Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Attorney General
Other Ministers will be invited to attend as necessary. The Heads of the Security and Intelligence Agencies; the Permanent Secretary, Intelligence, Security and Resilience; the Permanent Secretary Communities and Local Government; and the President of the Association of Chief Police Officers will attend as required.
Terms of Reference
“To develop the Government’s strategy for countering radicalisation and to drive forward its delivery, and to report to the Ministerial Committee on Security and Terrorism.”
Ministerial Committee on Security and Terrorism
Sub-Committee on Protection and Resilience (ST)(PR))
Composition
- Secretary of State for the Home Department (Chair)
- Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Deputy Chair)
- Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
- Secretary of State for Health
- Minister for the Cabinet Office and for Social Exclusion (and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster)
- Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and Secretary of State for Wales
- Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Minister for Women
- Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
- Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Secretary of State for Defence
- Secretary of State for Transport, and Secretary of State for Scotland
- Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Minister of State, Home Office (Tony McNulty)
Other Ministers, the heads of the Security & Intelligence Agencies, the Permanent Secretary, Intelligence, Security and Resilience and the President of the Association of the Chief Police Officers will be invited to attend as necessary.
Terms of Reference
“To develop the Government’s strategy:
(i) for reducing the vulnerability of the United Kingdom and to British interests overseas; and
(ii) for improving our capabilities for managing the consequences of major terrorist or other disruptive incidents in the United Kingdom;
and to drive forward the delivery of these strategies and report to the Ministerial Committee on Security and Terrorism.”
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