Labour ministers are thought be considering using a new “Home Guard” of volunteers to boost security at critical infrastructure sites – including nuclear power stations, airports and telecommunications hubs.
A new Home Guard-type force will be proposed as part of the Government’s strategic defence review (SDR) set to be published within weeks, the Sunday Times first reported.
Defence sources did not give away any details – but did not deny the SDR was looking at a way of using civilians to boost security at critical infrastructure in their area.
“We don’t have the finances to maintain a large standing army,” said Ellwood. “A modern form of Home Guard, can act as another tier of capability.”
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He added: “As the threat picture deteriorates there is a growing sense of national duty of people increasingly willing to do their part. But none of this can be a substitute to increase spending on defence.”
“But I’m concerned the idea of a new force could be a distraction,” he added.
“A higher priority should be to ensure the existing forces are properly manned and equipped,” said Sir John. “If we can man the new force, and the existing forces, this recommendation is positive. Otherwise, a new force is a distraction.”
Prof Fraser Sampson, a national security expert at Centric Institute at Sheffield Hallam University, said the idea of new Home Guard-type force “has got a lot of merit”.
“It can’t be security on the cheap. And it can’t be seen as that by the communities where these sites are,” said Prof Sampson.
“There are lot of issues that would have to be resolved. Are they going to be armed? If so, you would have to be very careful with training and licensing, a process which can be time-consuming and expensive.”
Armed officers from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary could face greater challenges policing small modular reactors, security experts believe (Photos: CNC/Rolls-Royce)Prof Sampson said it would be difficult to expand the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), an armed force which is largely funded by civil energy companies. A wider, more flexible force may be needed to operate across all kinds of infrastructure sites, he added.
“We need workable proposals, and time is not on our side,” said Prof Sampson. “We can’t have critical infrastructure projects held up because we’re still waiting for security issues to catch up.”
“My own view there is a need for something like this, but it needs to be worked up properly,” said the Labour peer.
Lord Harris added: “We need to be able to mobilise more of society’s resources to help the military, police and emergency services.”
But the former British Army officer wanted to see the SRD to make sure it wasn’t a substitute for an increase in defence and security spending. “My concern is this becomes a flag-waving exercise, a distraction,” he said.
“They could be trained by the military. The practicalities don’t need to be hugely complicated. But you can’t do it completely on the cheap or appeal purely to the national duty. National resilience costs money.”
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We will not be drawn into commenting on claims regarding the strategic defence review ahead of publication.”They said the review would set out “a path for the next decade to modernise the armed forces to ensure we’re prepared for emerging threats”.
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