Policy paper

Increasing our security exports: a new government approach

Strategy setting out how the UK government will support UK security exports.

From:
Department for International Trade Defence & Security Organisation and Home Office
Published
27 February 2014
Last updated
8 July 2014 — See all updates
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Documents

Increasing our security exports: a new government approach

Ref: URN UKTI/14/913

PDF, 3.69 MB, 32 pages

Details

This strategy, produced by UK Trade & Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) and the Home Office sets out our approach to the security export market.

It will be supplemented with sector specific reports. The first which covered cyber security exports was published in May 2013.

Achieving a significant increase in security exports is important to industry as well as to our National Security Strategy. Security exports facilitate security cooperation and contribute to our prosperity. The UK has a strong reputation for security and it is recognised that:

  • our agencies and police are amongst the best in the world

  • our strategies for tackling terrorism and crime are well regarded

  • the security operation to protect the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was a major success

From homeland security and border control to surveillance and detection equipment, UK companies are at the forefront of designing, manufacturing and selling security-related goods and services all over the world.

In comparison with the defence sector, which consistently captures about 20% of the global defence export market, the UK security sector currently achieves just over 4% of the global security export market.

The Defence and Security White Paper National Security through Technology published in February 2012 recognised that a healthy and competitive UK security industry can make a significant contribution to our national security.

It can create jobs, maintain skills and sustain advanced manufacturing and technological capabilities. The White Paper noted that whilst the UK is the second largest defence exporter in the world, our performance in the security export market is not consistent with our reputation and expertise. The White Paper concluded that the government should provide further support to industry to improve its export performance.

For further information and general enquiries:

UKTI DSO - securityexports@ukti.gsi.gov.uk

Home Office Security Industry Engagement Team - securityindustryengagementteam@homeoffice.x.gsi.gov.uk

Published 27 February 2014
Last updated 8 July 2014 + show all updates

  1. Pdf updated June 2014

  2. PDF replaced with accessible version.

  3. First published.

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