5 November 2006
John Reid, the Home Secretary, is running a secret internal Whitehall review of counter-terrorism measures in parallel with a separate Treasury investigation by Gordon Brown.
Fresh anti-terror legislation is set to be promised in the Queen's Speech today, which will also include new action on immigration, organised crime and antisocial behaviour.
The disclosure of the Home Secretary's review will intensify speculation of tensions with the Chancellor over the direction of policy on combating terrorism. Whitehall insiders disclosed that the so-called Reid group is undertaking "blue-skies" thinking, including examining the case for a security council to tackle terrorism, a minister for security and a department for security.
By contrast, Mr Brown has rejected calls for Britain to follow the US in appointing a cabinet minister for internal security, although he is creating a unified intelligence budget to cover MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.
The Reid group meets on Thursdays and is chaired by the Home Secretary. It includes the Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, the Defence Secretary, Des Browne, Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development, and the heads of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article1984445.ece