Professor Anthony Glees Dr Julian Richards University of ... - PCG

equired to achieve this desirable goal (a point we believe has not yet beenreached and can hopefully be avoided).National security issues are rarely out of the news. Nor should they be. It is aprimary duty of government, perhaps the primary duty, to provide security forevery person in Britain to an appropriate level and consistent, at all times, withthe rule of law.Ensuring that our country is kept as secure as possible from states, groups andindividuals that would do us harm is a core part of a government‟s responsibilityfor delivering security. Making certain that those who work in government butalso for government are not security risks is one vital means of doing preciselythis. No one understands this better than our nation‟s private contractors whoundertake key work for government at the most secure levels.Everyone, whether a contractor working for government or an ordinary citizenwanting to live securely and peacefully in this nation, understands that theinterests of Britain and of everyone living here are always undermined whenthose working in, or for, government betray the trust that has been placed inthem. Even if the number of those who do so is extremely small and even if thedamage done is thankfully rarely catastrophic, the government rightly does whatit can to prevent such people from doing harm and where wrongdoing isuncovered seeks to bring the perpetrators to justice.For this reason, questions surrounding „vetting‟, the provision of securityclearances, who gives them, who gets them, and for what purpose is a criticalarea of wider national security policy and it is one that is absolutely necessary toget right. When the wrong people who betray this country and its values aregiven clearance or when no one thinks to vet them, we all accept that ournational interest and our national security have both been seriously anddetrimentally affected.13