As featured in the March edition of Professional Security Magazine, the Home Office released guidance and the Home Office minister Dan Jarvis issued a warning about the security industry in general and consultants in particular doing work for hostile actors from abroad.
This follows the coming into law of the National Security Act 2023, which has made it a criminal offence to work on behalf of a foreign power in ways that could harm the UK. While engaging with foreign entities is not by itself illegal, the Home Office says, security professionals are being warned that their specialist skills, privileged access to information, and proximity to key individuals, may make them prime targets for exploitation.
To help security people navigate these new regulations and understand their responsibilities, the Home Office, the Security Institute, and the Register for Security Engineers and Specialists (RSES) will co-host a panel event on Monday, March 3, from 2pm; on Microsoft Teams. A live virtual session will discuss the Governmentโs new guidance and offer insights from voices in the field:
– Edward Bolton, Home Office โ Senior civil servant with over a decade of experience in strategy, policy, and operational delivery.
– David Cormie, Register of Security Engineers and Specialists โ Director of Resilience, Security & Risk at the engineering firm Arup, specialising in mitigating hostile threats and protecting critical assets.
– Chris Stevens, The Security Institute โ Board Director and consultant on counter-terrorism, security risk, and the built environment.
You will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain a clearer understanding of how the 2023 Act applies to work.
Security Institute CEO Simon Hepburn, pictured, said: “The security industry plays a critical role in safeguarding the UK. This new guidance is designed to help professionals recognise and counteract threats from state actors and those seeking to undermine national security. We strongly encourage all industry members to familiarise themselves with the guidance and join this important discussion.”
What to do
If you suspect the involvement of a state when you have been approached, or if you realise only after taking on work, report to Counter Terrorism Policing in confidence on their Anti-Terrorism Hotline on 0800 789321 or report it online via the official ACT website.
