New government security co-ordination chief appointed
Bill Jeffrey, the current head of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, has been confirmed as the new government security co-ordinator.
His official title will be Security and Intelligence Coordinator and Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office and he will be responsible for chairing the majority of cross-governmental intelligence and security committees.
Mr Jeffrey will take over from Sir David Omand when he retires at Easter.
Announcing the appointment, Tony Blair said: “I regard this post as one of the most important in Government. I am very grateful to Sir David Omand who has worked tirelessly with his colleagues to develop and realise the UK’s ground-breaking counter-terrorism strategy. But there are still many challenges ahead. Bill is an extremely talented official with huge experience of government and he is well equipped to make a success of this post”.
Key responsibilities will include co-ordinating work on counter-terrorism, co-chairing the US/UK contact group on homeland security and being the principle accounting officer for the intelligence services and GCHQ.
Commenting on the appointment, Conservative spokesman Patrick Mercer, who the Conservatives have designated the Shadow Minister for Homeland Security, said the appointment was welcome, but there ought also to be a dedicated minister.
Mr Mercer, said: “This is without doubt one of the most challenging and difficult appointments and we wish Bill Jeffrey well.
“However if the Government wanted to take security seriously then Mr Jeffrey would be working directly to a dedicated Minister for Homeland Security and not having to look in the several different directions that he will have to under the current arrangements.”
