Committees

Foreign Affairs Committee launches counter-terrorism inquiry

12 May 2023

Today the Foreign Affairs Committee launches a new inquiry into the UK’s efforts to tackle terrorism globally.

The inquiry will develop an understanding of the motivations, locations, tactics, ambitions and organisation of the most pressing terrorist threats and consider how the threat from terrorist actors and groups may evolve in the next decade.

The inquiry will examine the UK’s counter-terrorism policy, asking what actions have been taken by the UK to deter, contain, counter and prevent acts of terrorism emanating overseas.

The inquiry will assess Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) policy on all forms of terrorism which could threaten British citizens or British interests. It will also assess how regional instability can foster insecurity directly impacting on the UK. It will examine how the UK can best use its influence within bilateral and multilateral security partnerships and review whether the Integrated Review's approach to the terrorist threat is sufficient.

The deadline for written evidence is Monday 12 June 2023.

Chair's comments

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns MP, said:

“Although the next two decades will be shaped by hostilities emanating from hostile states, the threat of terrorist actors remains acute and enduring.

This inquiry will examine the nature of the threat to the UK, map out the global threat picture, and interrogate the current FCDO approach to keeping our people, and interests, safe. It will also consider the intersectionality of foreign policy and the threat to the UK from terrorist actors.

The Foreign Office’s contribution to countering terrorism is pivotal. It is long overdue an examination."

Terms of Reference

The Committee welcomes written evidence on the following:

  • In which regions and countries overseas is the terrorist threat to the UK acute or developing?
  • What factors and trends can be identified in the global terror picture? What are the ambitions, locations, tactics, ideologies and level of organisation of the terror threat?
  • How does UK foreign policy impact on the threat of terrorism to the UK and UK interests?
  • Which overseas terror groups or organisations most directly threaten UK interests? How has the nature of the threat from these groups changed in the past 5-10 years? How is this threat expected to evolve in the coming 5-10 years?
  • How effective are the Government’s efforts to track and forecast future terrorism trends (including state-sponsored terrorism), with reference to the Integrated Review (2021) and Integrated Review Refresh (2023)? How can these be improved?
  • What steps might HMG take to counter the global promotion of terrorism (e.g. foreign online radicalisation and recruitment), and how might this be improved?
  • What has been the effectiveness of the FCDO in leading HMG’s counterterrorism approach across government? Where can these efforts be improved?
  • How effectively has the FCDO exerted influence on counter terrorism policies bilaterally and multilaterally in recent years? How resilient are these relationships and networks?
  • How does the FCDO structure and respond to the threat of terrorism to the UK, including through CSSF (Conflict, Stability and Security Fund) programming?

Further information

Image: FCO